BANGKOK - Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Tuesday he expected the economy to grow by 1 to 2 percent in 2010 after contracting this year.

Abhisit told an economic seminar in Bangkok he still aimed for a return to economic growth in the fourth quarter of 2009 as the benefits of government stimulus kick in.

Analysts expect the economy to shrink by 3 to 4 percent this year due to a sharp fall in exports and sluggish domestic demand.

"We hope by next year...growth will perhaps be one to two percent," Abhisit said.