Bank of Thailand Holds Rate for 4th Straight Meeting

2026-10-28 07:09 By Joshua Ferrer 1 min. read

The Bank of Thailand kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 1.00% for a fourth consecutive meeting in October 2026, as widely expected, marking its longest stretch without a rate change in two years.

The decision was unanimous, with one committee member absent, as policymakers maintained an accommodative stance to support an uneven economic recovery.

The Thai economy is projected to grow by 2.4% in 2026 and 2.1% in 2027, supported by stronger-than-expected exports and investment linked to the technology and AI cycle.

However, growth remains below potential, while high household debt and fragile purchasing power continue to weigh on private consumption.

Headline inflation is forecast to average 2.1% in 2026 and 1.3% in 2027, rising temporarily through early 2027 due to higher energy prices and El Niño before easing as domestic demand remains weak.

The central bank warned that Middle East uncertainty and cost pass-through could push inflation above its projections.



News Stream
Bank of Thailand Holds Rate for 4th Straight Meeting
The Bank of Thailand kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 1.00% for a fourth consecutive meeting in October 2026, as widely expected, marking its longest stretch without a rate change in two years. The decision was unanimous, with one committee member absent, as policymakers maintained an accommodative stance to support an uneven economic recovery. The Thai economy is projected to grow by 2.4% in 2026 and 2.1% in 2027, supported by stronger-than-expected exports and investment linked to the technology and AI cycle. However, growth remains below potential, while high household debt and fragile purchasing power continue to weigh on private consumption. Headline inflation is forecast to average 2.1% in 2026 and 1.3% in 2027, rising temporarily through early 2027 due to higher energy prices and El Niño before easing as domestic demand remains weak. The central bank warned that Middle East uncertainty and cost pass-through could push inflation above its projections.
2026-10-28
Bank of Thailand Keeps Door Open to Further Rate Cuts
Bank of Thailand sees a continued need for accommodative monetary policy as the economic recovery remains uneven, the August meeting minutes showed. The Monetary Policy Committee unanimously kept the one-day repurchase rate at 1% for a third consecutive meeting, citing weak and uneven growth. However, policymakers cautioned that further easing outside a crisis could have limited benefits relative to potential side effects. “Although policy space remained, further monetary policy easing in a non-crisis environment might yield limited additional benefits relative to its potential side effects,” the minutes said. With the policy rate already low by historical standards, the committee stressed the need to preserve room to respond to unexpected shocks. It also flagged risks from the Middle East conflict, trade protectionism and inflation.
2026-09-09
Bank of Thailand Leaves Policy Rate Unchanged
The Bank of Thailand left its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 1% at its August 2026 meeting, with the decision made unanimously as the central bank maintained an accommodative stance to support the recovery. The Thai economy is projected to expand broadly in line with previous assessments in 2026 and 2027, supported by stronger-than-expected merchandise exports and private investment linked to the technology and AI cycle. However, growth remains low and uneven, while private consumption was weaker as households remained cautious amid rising living costs. Meanwhile, headline inflation is projected to be lower than assessed, mainly due to lower energy prices, but is expected to rise through the first quarter of 2027 due to El Niño and gradual cost pass-through. Inflation is then expected to return to low levels amid weak domestic demand and below-potential growth.
2026-08-26