Bangkok, Thailand – Thailand has marked a significant economic milestone with its exports demonstrating a tenth consecutive month of growth, reaching an estimated value of 857.7 billion baht in April. This represents a 10.2% increase from the previous month, underscoring the resilience of the Thai economy. The sustained upward trend, as reported by Commerce Minister Pichai Naripthaphan on May 27, 2025, highlights robust performance across key sectors.
Even when excluding gold, strategic goods, and oil-related products, April’s exports still showed a substantial 7.1% rise compared to March, primarily driven by strong performances in both the industrial and agricultural sectors. The consistent growth has been attributed to expanding demand in major export destinations, including the United States, China, Japan, and member nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Notably, exports to the United States have seen a remarkable 23.8% surge, extending a positive trend over 19 consecutive months.
Looking ahead, Minister Naripthaphan expressed optimism that Thailand’s overall export growth for the current year could exceed 4%, even in a scenario where export growth stagnates during the latter half of the year. He further suggested that if Thailand successfully negotiates a reduction in tariffs with the United States, aligning them with rates applied to other nations, Thai products are poised to achieve greater competitiveness in the global market.
In a related development, Poonpong Naiyanapakorn, spokesperson for the Commerce Ministry, reported that Thailand’s imports during the first four months of 2025 amounted to US$109.3 billion, marking a 9.6% increase year-on-year. This has resulted in a trade deficit of US$2.2 billion for the period. While Thai exports are anticipated to maintain growth through the first half of the year, projections indicate that increased tariffs could impact exports to the US market in the latter half of 2025.
