By The Nation 19/01/2010
Thailand was rated one of the "over-performers" in World Bank trade logistics survey, indicating the positive trends in some areas essential to logistics performance and trade.
"Some of them include the modernization of customs, use of information technology, and development of private logistics services," the World Bank said in a statement.
Among the most significant "over-performers" among developing countries were China, which emerged 27th in ranking, India (47), Uganda (66), Vietnam (53), Thailand (35), the Philippines (44), and South Africa (28). The over-performers were announced despite a gap in the performance of rich and developing countries.
High income economies dominated the top logistics rankings, with most of them occupying important places in global and regional supply chains, the 155-nation "Logistics Performance Indicators" study showed.
By contrast, the 10 worst performing countries were all from the low and lower income groups.
Germany emerged the top performer among the 155 economies ranked in the Logistics Performance Indicators (LPI), which are included in the report Connecting to Compete 2010: Trade Logistics in the Global Economy. The study is based on the most comprehensive world survey of international freight forwarders and express carriers. Singapore was the second in a new World Bank logistics survey that measures how efficiently countries trade their goods around the world.
Sweden was adjudged the next most trade-friendly nation in the study hailed by the Washington-based institution as "the most comprehensive world survey of international freight forwarders and express carriers."
"Economic competitiveness is relentlessly driving countries to strengthen performance, and improving trade logistics is a smart way to deliver more efficiencies, lower costs and added economic growth," said bank chief Robert Zoellick.
"Streamlining the connections among markets, manufacturers, farmers and consumers offers tremendous growth and investment opportunities and should be a top focus for developing country growth strategies. As we issue this global report, I’m pleased to be in Germany, the top performer on efficient logistics."
High income economies dominated the top logistics rankings, with most of them occupying important places in global and regional supply chains, the 155-nation "Logistics Performance Indicators" study showed.
By contrast, the 10 worst performing countries were all from the low and lower income groups.
The World Bank said the capacity of countries to efficiently move goods and connect manufacturers and consumers with international markets is improving around the world, but much more progress is needed to spur faster economic growth and help firms benefit from trade recovery.
"Following our first survey in 2007, many developing countries have improved their capacity to connect to international markets, which is a key ingredient for competitiveness and economic growth," said Otaviano Canuto, World Bank Vice President for Poverty Reduction and Economic Management. "But if developing countries want to come out of the crisis in a stronger and more competitive position, they need to invest in better trade logistics."
"Countries with better logistics performance can grow faster, become more competitive and increase their level of investment," said Bernard Hoekman, World Bank Trade Department Director. "Our research shows that increasing logistics performance in low income countries to the middle-income average could boost trade by around 15 per cent and benefit all firms and consumers through lower prices and better quality services."