Thai-Myanmar border trade through the Mae Sot-Myawaddy crossing rose 19.6% year on year in the first half of 2016 to 38.53 billion baht and is expected to grow for the rest of the year, Wisawa Pitisuksombat, customs chief in Mae Sot district of Tak, said on Friday.
Trade was worth 32.23 billion baht in the first half of 2015.
Mr Wisawa said trade in the six months this year peaked at 7.49 billion baht in May, in the lead up to the rainy season.
During the first half of 2016, the value of imports from Myawaddy stood at 1.88 billion baht, up by about 5% year-on-year.
Mr Wisawa predicted the trade would grow faster in the second half thanks to convenient transport routes, the launch of the Asean Economic Community and the policies of the new Myanmar government.
If the second bridge across the Moei River is completed, trade will increase several folds, he said.
Top Thai exports to Myawaddy were sugar, phones and accessories, carbonated drinks, beer, energy drinks, printed cotton fabrics, farm machinery, motorcycles, oil and televisions. Top imports from Myawaddy were cattle, antimony, wooden products and second-hand goods.
More than 60% of border trade between Thailand and Myanmar happened through the Mae Sot-Myawaddy crossing.