Thailand Trade Gap Widens in May

2026-06-25 03:46 By Chusnul Chotimah 1 min. read

Thailand’s trade deficit widened to USD 5.71 billion in May 2026 from USD 1.12 billion a year earlier, marking an eighth straight monthly shortfall, though it was smaller than forecasts of a USD 6.6 billion gap, as exports rose much less than imports.

Imports jumped 35.1% year-on-year, easing from a 45.0% rise in April and slightly exceeding forecasts of 35%, supported by ongoing government stimulus measures aimed at boosting consumption and investment.

Meanwhile, exports grew 10.6% year-on-year, easing sharply from a 23.1% surge in April, falling short of forecasts of 11.6% and marking the softest increase since February.

Export growth was driven by sales of industrial products, which increased 14.2%.

Shipments to the US, Thailand’s largest market, soared 33.5% year-on-year, while those to Japan rose 11.7%, and those to China fell 2.5%.

For the first five months of the year, the country posted a USD 25.2 billion trade deficit, with exports advancing 17.0% while imports surged 35.6%.



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Thailand Trade Gap Widens in May
Thailand’s trade deficit widened to USD 5.71 billion in May 2026 from USD 1.12 billion a year earlier, marking an eighth straight monthly shortfall, though it was smaller than forecasts of a USD 6.6 billion gap, as exports rose much less than imports. Imports jumped 35.1% year-on-year, easing from a 45.0% rise in April and slightly exceeding forecasts of 35%, supported by ongoing government stimulus measures aimed at boosting consumption and investment. Meanwhile, exports grew 10.6% year-on-year, easing sharply from a 23.1% surge in April, falling short of forecasts of 11.6% and marking the softest increase since February. Export growth was driven by sales of industrial products, which increased 14.2%. Shipments to the US, Thailand’s largest market, soared 33.5% year-on-year, while those to Japan rose 11.7%, and those to China fell 2.5%. For the first five months of the year, the country posted a USD 25.2 billion trade deficit, with exports advancing 17.0% while imports surged 35.6%.
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