BANGKOK, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's business sentiment improved for a third straight month in October, driven by the non-manufacturing sector due to the tourism high season and government stimulus measures, data from the central bank showed on Monday.
The business sentiment index (BSI) was recorded at 48.7 last month, up from 48.0 in September, marking the highest level since March.
The non-manufacturing index grew, especially in the hotel and restaurant and the passenger transportation sectors, fueled by long-haul tourist arrivals, the central bank said in a statement.
Confidence among the retail trade sector strengthened, boosted by the government's co-payment program aimed at stimulating spending toward the year-end.
Meanwhile, the manufacturing index remained stable, buoyed by the automotive industry's stronger optimism, which was in line with higher production output and the anticipation of meeting the 2025 production target.
The reading was based on a survey of 698 respondents from large and medium-sized firms. ■