Thailand Business Confidence Remains Subdued

2026-10-02 08:11 By Czyrill Jean Coloma 1 min. read

Thailand’s business confidence indicator fell to 48.1 in September 2026 from 49.8 in the previous month, remaining below the 50 threshold for the ninth straight month.

Sentiment weakened across performance (50.2 vs 53 in August), production (51.5 vs 54.5), and employment (50.3 vs 51.6).

By sector, confidence in manufacturing declined, led by agricultural product manufacturers amid El Niño-induced drought conditions.

The non-manufacturing index remained below the 50 threshold for the tenth consecutive month, particularly in transportation, which was affected by higher diesel prices following renewed Middle East tensions, as well as retail trade, due to lower orders for consumer goods and fading effects of government measures.

Lastly, sentiment in the automotive industry weakened, particularly among auto parts manufacturers, as rising EV imports reduced demand for domestically produced parts.

The three-month expected Business Sentiment Index edged up to 50.8 from 50.5 in August.



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Thailand Business Confidence Remains Subdued
Thailand’s business confidence indicator fell to 48.1 in September 2026 from 49.8 in the previous month, remaining below the 50 threshold for the ninth straight month. Sentiment weakened across performance (50.2 vs 53 in August), production (51.5 vs 54.5), and employment (50.3 vs 51.6). By sector, confidence in manufacturing declined, led by agricultural product manufacturers amid El Niño-induced drought conditions. The non-manufacturing index remained below the 50 threshold for the tenth consecutive month, particularly in transportation, which was affected by higher diesel prices following renewed Middle East tensions, as well as retail trade, due to lower orders for consumer goods and fading effects of government measures. Lastly, sentiment in the automotive industry weakened, particularly among auto parts manufacturers, as rising EV imports reduced demand for domestically produced parts. The three-month expected Business Sentiment Index edged up to 50.8 from 50.5 in August.
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Thailand Business Confidence at 8-Month High
Thailand’s Business Sentiment Index rose to 49.8 in August 2026, improving from 46.7 in the previous month but remaining below the 50 threshold for the ninth consecutive month. This marked the highest reading since December 2025, as confidence strengthened across production (54.5 vs 48.6), total order books (51.2 vs 47.5), and performance (53 vs 50). By sector, the nonmanufacturing index improved, led by hotels and restaurants, as foreign tourist arrivals from China and Europe gradually increased. Trade sentiment also strengthened, particularly in FMCG, although weak domestic purchasing power kept spending focused on essentials. Manufacturing confidence rose, led by processed rubber as firms stocked up on raw materials amid El Niño concerns, while plastic packaging and food and beverage also improved. Meanwhile, the three-month expected Business Sentiment Index slipped slightly to 50.5 from 50.7.
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