Thailand Car Sales Slip in February

2026-03-25 03:08 By Czyrill Jean Coloma 1 min. read

Thailand’s domestic car sales fell 2.17% year-on-year to a four-month low of 48,282 units in February 2026, reversing January’s 53.77% surge, according to the Federation of Thai Industries.

This marked the first annual decline since March 2025, with Surapong Paisitpatanapong attributing the slowdown to subdued economic growth, tighter auto lending, delayed consumer purchases, and higher energy costs.

He also pointed to escalating Middle East war, which have driven up oil prices, raising transport and insurance costs while weighing on global confidence.

By segment, BEV sales dropped 18.56% to 6,168 units, while pickup trucks slipped 1.41% to 12,998 units, though signs of stabilization are emerging.

Meanwhile, car production rose 3.43% year-on-year to 117,952 units, supported by exports and a modest pickup recovery.

Thailand’s car exports were broadly flat at 81,195 units, with Middle East demand holding up but shipments facing delays due to security risks around the Strait of Hormuz.



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Thailand Car Sales Slip in February
Thailand’s domestic car sales fell 2.17% year-on-year to a four-month low of 48,282 units in February 2026, reversing January’s 53.77% surge, according to the Federation of Thai Industries. This marked the first annual decline since March 2025, with Surapong Paisitpatanapong attributing the slowdown to subdued economic growth, tighter auto lending, delayed consumer purchases, and higher energy costs. He also pointed to escalating Middle East war, which have driven up oil prices, raising transport and insurance costs while weighing on global confidence. By segment, BEV sales dropped 18.56% to 6,168 units, while pickup trucks slipped 1.41% to 12,998 units, though signs of stabilization are emerging. Meanwhile, car production rose 3.43% year-on-year to 117,952 units, supported by exports and a modest pickup recovery. Thailand’s car exports were broadly flat at 81,195 units, with Middle East demand holding up but shipments facing delays due to security risks around the Strait of Hormuz.
2026-03-25
Thailand Car Sales Jump 53.77% in January
Domestic car sales in Thailand jumped 53.77% year-on-year to 73,936 units in January 2026, following a 39.07% rise in December, according to the Federation of Thai Industries. The country’s car production went up 10.53% to 118,386, following an 8.56% increase in the previous month, supported by rising domestic sales and strong demand for electric vehicles. Meanwhile, car exports dropped 6.28%, reversing an 11.29% growth in December. Looking ahead, the federation projects car production to rise 3% to around 1.5 million units this year, after a 0.9% decline to 1.455 million units in 2025.
2026-02-24
Thailand Car Sales Hit Near 3-Year High
Domestic car sales in Thailand surged 39.07% year-on-year to a near three-year high of 75,121 units in December 2025, from a 20.65% gain in the previous month, according to the Federation of Thai Industries. The increase was primarily driven by strong demand for electric vehicles amid the conclusion of the EV 3.0 incentive program. Overall, 2025 sales grew 8.47% to reach 621,166 units. Meanwhile, car production rose 8.56% yoy to 113,855 units in December, as manufacturers increased EV output to compensate for earlier imports under the government’s incentives. Despite this, total vehicle production for 2025 fell 0.9% to around 1.46 million units. Looking ahead to 2026, the federation forecasts a 3% rise in output to 1.5 million units, with 550,000 for the domestic market and the rest for export. Thailand’s car exports grew 11.29% yoy to 84,963 units in December, boosted by a continued robust increase in shipments of hybrid EVs. However, full-year exports fell 8.19% to 935,750 units.
2026-01-29