Thailand’s exports and imports rose to their highest levels in four years in January, driven by strong outbound shipments of electronic products and increased imports of raw materials and machinery. The growth comes as Thailand seeks a trade agreement with the United States.
According to Commerce Ministry data released on February 23 2026, exports increased 24.4% in January 2026compared with the same month a year earlier. Imports rose 29.4% over the same period. Both figures exceeded economists’ expectations and marked the fastest expansion since late 2021.
Nantapong Chiralerspong, director general of the Trade Policy and Strategy Office, said the increase in exports reflected stronger global demand for electronics linked to artificial intelligence and data centers. He stated that the growth was not the result of transshipments of Chinese goods to the United States through Thailand.
Thailand plans to continue trade discussions with the United States after the US Supreme Court struck down most of former President Donald Trump’s global tariffs. Trump has since proposed a new 15% tariff on trading partners. Nantapong said Thailand intends to maintain dialogue with US authorities, noting that Thailand runs a significant trade surplus with the United States.
In January, Thailand recorded a trade deficit of USD 7.2 billion with China. In contrast, it posted a trade surplus of USD 4.8 billion with the United States.
The trade data may support the economic agenda of Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, who recently formed a coalition government and has stated that improving economic growth is a priority.
(Source: Business Times)
