BANGKOK, March 24 - Thailand's customs-cleared exports grew 9.9% in February from a year earlier, the commerce ministry said on Tuesday, attributing the monthly rise largely to shipments of electronics and electrical equipment.
The ministry also reported that exports for the first two months of the year advanced 18.9% compared with the same period a year earlier and reiterated expectations that exports will increase over the full year. The February figure contrasted with a forecast rise of 15.8% in a recent poll and followed a 24.4% increase recorded in January.
Import activity strengthened markedly in February, rising 31.8% year-on-year, and the larger import bill resulted in a trade deficit of $2.83 billion for the month, the ministry said.
Looking back to 2025, the ministry noted that exports expanded 12.9% for the year, which was the strongest annual growth in four years. That pace was driven in part by front-loading of shipments ahead of the introduction of U.S. tariffs, the ministry said.
These data points underscore the uneven momentum in Thailand's external sector in the early months of the year: export volumes continue to grow, led by technology-related goods, but elevated import growth has widened the monthly trade gap.
Below are the headline figures released by the commerce ministry:
- February exports: up 9.9% year-on-year, led by electronics and electrical equipment.
- First two months of the year: exports up 18.9% year-on-year; ministry expects full-year exports to rise.
- Forecast comparison: February result versus a 15.8% poll-based forecast; January had risen 24.4%.
- February imports: up 31.8% year-on-year, producing a $2.83 billion trade deficit.
- Annual 2025 exports: up 12.9%, the fastest pace in four years, attributed to front-loading ahead of U.S. tariffs.
The ministry's release provides a snapshot of external trade flows without offering new policy commentary. Observers will likely monitor coming months for signs whether export growth sustains beyond the effects of front-loading and how the import expansion evolves relative to shipments abroad.