Thailand Retail Sales Fall for the 1st Time in 8 Months

2026-06-30 08:03 By Joshua Ferrer 1 min. read

Retail sales in Thailand sank by 20% year-on-year in April 2026, reversing sharply from a 21.3% surge in the previous month.

This marked the first annual decline since August last year, driven largely by a steep 37.1% drop in other retail trade after a 36.7% increase in March.

Growth in non-durable goods eased to 5.5% from 12.8%, reflecting a decline in beverages (-2.0% vs 8.8%) and slower increases in pharmaceuticals (8.5% vs 14.0%) and tobacco products (0.3% vs 20.1%).

Durable goods growth also slowed to 8.6% from 10.0%, as weaker sales of other cultural and recreation goods (-16.5% vs -11.0%) and music and video recordings (-11.0% vs -14.7%) outweighed stronger demand for textiles (39.2% vs 39.0%) and sporting equipment (35.1% vs 38.2%).

Department stores and general stores rose 0.4% after rising 6.1%, while sales of motor vehicles and automotive fuel edged up to 6.2% from 5.7%.

On a monthly basis, retail sales declined 22.0%, following a 4.8% increase in March.



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Thailand Retail Sales Fall for the 1st Time in 8 Months
Retail sales in Thailand sank by 20% year-on-year in April 2026, reversing sharply from a 21.3% surge in the previous month. This marked the first annual decline since August last year, driven largely by a steep 37.1% drop in other retail trade after a 36.7% increase in March. Growth in non-durable goods eased to 5.5% from 12.8%, reflecting a decline in beverages (-2.0% vs 8.8%) and slower increases in pharmaceuticals (8.5% vs 14.0%) and tobacco products (0.3% vs 20.1%). Durable goods growth also slowed to 8.6% from 10.0%, as weaker sales of other cultural and recreation goods (-16.5% vs -11.0%) and music and video recordings (-11.0% vs -14.7%) outweighed stronger demand for textiles (39.2% vs 39.0%) and sporting equipment (35.1% vs 38.2%). Department stores and general stores rose 0.4% after rising 6.1%, while sales of motor vehicles and automotive fuel edged up to 6.2% from 5.7%. On a monthly basis, retail sales declined 22.0%, following a 4.8% increase in March.
2026-06-30
Thailand Retail Sales Growth Slows in March
Retail sales in Thailand rose 21.2% year-on-year in March 2026, easing from 31.4% in February, marking the softest growth in four months. The slowdown was mainly due to softer rises in other retail trade (36.7% vs 67% in February). Meanwhile, non-durable goods growth picked up to 12.5% (vs 4.7%), primarily supported by pharmaceutical and medical goods, cosmetics and toiletries (13.8% vs -1.0%). Durable goods rose 8.7% (vs 3.1%), but momentum was uneven as larger gains in computers and telecom equipment (18.9% vs 3.1%), audio and video equipment (14.3% vs 5.9%), textiles (38.3% vs 30.3%), and sporting goods (37.3% vs 27.4%) were partly offset by moderating growth in games and toys (29.5% vs 48.8%). Department stores and general stores rose 6.1% (vs 4.6%), while motor vehicles and automotive fuel rebounded 5.5% (vs -3.3%). On a monthly basis, retail sales grew 4.8%, recovering from a 25.3% drop in February.
2026-05-29
Thailand Retail Sales Growth Eases in February
Retail sales in Thailand rose by 20.0% year-on-year in February 2026, easing sharply from an upwardly revised 75.6% climb in the previous month. This marked the sixth consecutive month of growth, albeit at a softer pace, as sales growth slowed significantly in other retail stores (43.0% vs 196.0% in January), particularly in retail sale of new goods in specialized stores (43.0% vs 201.0%). Growth also eased in non-durable goods (4.6% vs 5.6%) and durable goods (2.5% vs 3.0%), indicating softer demand across both essential and discretionary spending categories. In contrast, activity increased in department stores, supermarkets, and general stores (4.5% vs 2.3%), while sales of motor vehicles and automotive fuel improved slightly, though remained negative (-3.4% vs -5.2%). On a monthly basis, retail sales dropped by 25.5% in February, reversing an upwardly revised 14.3% growth in the preceding period.
2026-04-30