THAI NATURAL RUBBER EXPORTS RISE IN 1986 Thai natural rubber exports rose to 763,331 tonnes in 1986 from 689,964 a year earlier, the private Board of Trade said. Japan, the biggest buyer, imported 384,622 tonnes of Thai rubber in 1986, up from 348,855 the previous year, it said. Other major buyers were the U.S. At 86,383 tonnes, up from 81,629 in 1985, China 69,952 (60,296) and West Germany 32,172 (25,909). Exports to France rose to 20,479 tonnes from 12,143 in 1985, Austria 6,048 (4,104), and Italy 4,014 tonnes (1,340).