21.   Government spokesman Akapol Sorasuchart told reporters that under the new rules, exporters must repatriate foreign earnings soon after they receive payment.

22.   A weaker yen makes Japanese products more cost-competitive abroad and boosts repatriated overseas earnings.

23.   Many local firms had instead invested money in China and only a few had repatriated earnings generated from their mainland projects back to the island, Lee added.