Table 5 documents the overall role of hybrids. In 2015, 53.6% of exporters also imported while only 25.1% of importers also exported. Strikingly, hybrid traders account for 93.3% of total export value and 89.7% of aggregate imports. Thus, Thai international trade is overwhelmingly dominated by firms that simultaneously export and import. This is consistent with previous findings in the literature. Bernard, Jensen, and Schott (2009) document that over 50% of firms in the US that import also export, and these firms account for close to 90% of the country's trade.
2001 | 2007 | 2011 | 2015 | |
Number of hybrids | ||||
Total | 12,964 | 16,971 | 19,491 | 19,669 |
Share of exporters (%) | 60.9 | 53.8 | 51.2 | 53.6 |
Share of importers (%) | 36.1 | 32.7 | 26.3 | 25.1 |
Number of downstream production-chain exporters (DPE) | ||||
Total | 3,295 | 3,801 | 3,901 | 3,532 |
Share of exporters (%) | 15.5 | 12.1 | 10.2 | 9.6 |
Share of importers (%) | 9.2 | 7.3 | 5.3 | 4.5 |
Value traded by hybrids | ||||
Share of total exports (%) | 92.4 | 93.4 | 92.5 | 93.3 |
Share of total imports (%) | 90.4 | 92.1 | 91.9 | 89.7 |
Value traded by downstream production-chain exporters (DPE) | ||||
Share of total exports (%) | 27.6 | 31.1 | 30.2 | 32.6 |
Share of total imports (%) | 21.6 | 31.3 | 30.5 | 26.7 |
2001 | 2007 | 2011 | 2015 | |
Number of hybrids | ||||
Total | 12,964 | 16,971 | 19,491 | 19,669 |
Share of exporters (%) | 60.9 | 53.8 | 51.2 | 53.6 |
Share of importers (%) | 36.1 | 32.7 | 26.3 | 25.1 |
Number of downstream production-chain exporters (DPE) | ||||
Total | 3,295 | 3,801 | 3,901 | 3,532 |
Share of exporters (%) | 15.5 | 12.1 | 10.2 | 9.6 |
Share of importers (%) | 9.2 | 7.3 | 5.3 | 4.5 |
Value traded by hybrids | ||||
Share of total exports (%) | 92.4 | 93.4 | 92.5 | 93.3 |
Share of total imports (%) | 90.4 | 92.1 | 91.9 | 89.7 |
Value traded by downstream production-chain exporters (DPE) | ||||
Share of total exports (%) | 27.6 | 31.1 | 30.2 | 32.6 |
Share of total imports (%) | 21.6 | 31.3 | 30.5 | 26.7 |
Sources: Thai Customs Department and authors’ calculations.