Thailand Retail Sales Hit Multi-Year High

Retail sales in Thailand surged 75.4% year-on-year in January 2026, accelerating from an upwardly revised 47% gain in the previous month. This marked the strongest annual growth since November 1999, as sales increased in both durable goods (2.6%) and non-durable goods (4.3%), primarily driven by strong performances in food (9%), beverages (4.5%), tobacco (17.4%), computers, peripheral units, software, and telecommunications equipment (15%), and textiles (42.2%). Moreover, sales in department stores, supermarkets, and general stores rose 2.2%. In contrast, automotive fuel sales fell 11%. On a monthly basis, retail activity slowed to 14.2% from an upwardly revised 21.2% gain in December 2025.

Retail sales in Thailand jumped 46.9% year-on-year in December 2025, accelerating from a 15.6% rise in November. The surge was broad-based, led by durable goods (+5.5% vs -1.2% in November) and non-durable goods (+6.5% vs 5.0%), including strong performances in food (+14.2% vs 11.8%) and beverages (+4.0% vs 1.3%), although tobacco sales fell (-5.2% vs 6.9%). Retail activity also picked up in department stores, supermarkets, and general stores (+4.0% vs 5.2%), while motor vehicles and automotive fuel rebounded (+4.7% vs -6.7%), driven by sales of motor vehicles (+14.5% vs -5.6%) and vehicle maintenance (+12.2% vs 3.1%). Other retail segments surged (+117.0% vs 37.5%), notably new goods in specialized stores (+119.7% vs 37.5%) and online/mail-order sales (+68.4% vs 63.2%). On a monthly basis, retail sales rose 21.1% in December, following a 34.9% drop in November.

Retail sales in Thailand rose by 15.5% year-on-year in November 2025, easing from an upwardly revised 66.8% climb in the previous month. This marked the third consecutive month of growth, albeit at a softer pace, as sales growth moderated in other retail stores (37.4% vs 134.4% in October) and non-durable goods (4.6% vs 5.6%), particularly in pharmaceutical and medical goods. At the same time, trade declined in durable goods (-1.5% vs 0.5%) and motor vehicles and automotive fuel (- 6.9% vs -1.5%). Meanwhile, activity increased in department stores, supermarkets, and general stores (5.1% vs 2%). On a monthly basis, retail sales dropped sharply by 35% in November, following an upwardly revised 27.1% growth in the preceding period.