BANGKOK, Dec. 1 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's manufacturing sector continued to expand in November as new orders rose at a record pace despite a further decline in new export orders amid subdued external conditions, a survey showed on Monday.
The Southeast Asian country's manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) came in at 56.8 last month, edging up from 56.6 in October, marking a seventh straight month of improvement in operating conditions and the strongest rate in two and a half years, according to S&P Global.
A PMI reading above 50 indicates expansion in the manufacturing sector, while a reading below 50 reflects contraction.
The accelerated growth was fueled by new business inflows, which grew at the fastest pace since the survey began in December 2015, contributing to a comparable spike in production, S&P Global said in a statement.
In response to rising demand for manufactured goods, producers hired additional staff to keep up with higher workloads and expand their purchasing activity, the statement said. ■
