BANGKOK, June 25 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's exports expanded for a 23rd successive month in May, up 10.6 percent year-on-year, driven by global demand for advanced technology and front-loaded order hedging against potential supply-chain disruptions and uncertainties surrounding trade measures, official data showed on Thursday.
Exports, a key driver of the Southeast Asian country's economic growth, jumped to 34.33 billion U.S. dollars in May, slowing from a 23.1 percent surge in April, according to the Ministry of Commerce.
The ongoing growth trajectory and structural transformation of the global technology sector into the artificial intelligence era, alongside demand for seasonal agricultural products and high-potential food product groups, contributed to the uptrend, Nantapong Chiralerspong, director-general of the ministry's trade policy and strategy office, told a news conference.
Industrial product shipments remained the primary engine of export expansion, soaring 14.4 percent from a year earlier and marking the 26th straight month of growth, fueled by staggering sales in transmission apparatus, telephones and components, and computers and parts.
Exports of agricultural goods returned to contraction in May, dipping 3.1 percent year-on-year, while agro-industrial products continued their decline at 13.2 percent, amid a slump in major commodities like rubber and sugar, despite robust growth in seasonal high-value fruits.
The May data also indicated that imports increased 35.1 percent from a year earlier to 40.04 billion dollars, resulting in a monthly trade deficit of 5.71 billion dollars.
For the first five months of 2026, exports rose 17 percent to 162.09 billion dollars, while imports gained 35.6 percent to 187.30 billion dollars, yielding a trade deficit of 25.21 billion dollars.
Looking ahead, the ministry maintains a positive yet cautious outlook for the rest of 2026. While a limited global economic recovery and geopolitical tensions in the Middle East pose persistent cost and logistical pressures, strong tech demand acts as a tailwind, Nantapong said.
He noted that the ministry is actively introducing proactive measures to monitor geopolitical risks and structurally reform Thai exports toward higher value-added goods, ensuring their competitive edge on the world stage. ■
