Bangkok: The National Economic and Social Development Board (NESDB) is confident that exports in 2025 will grow by 3-5 percent. However, the board is concerned about the strengthening baht impacting sluggish purchasing power and urges the government to carefully consider the draft Labor Protection Act. During the first eight months of 2025, Thailand’s exports reached US$223.175 billion, marking a 13.3% increase compared to the same period last year.
According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Thanakorn Ketsuwan, President of the Thai National Shippers’ Council (TNSC), announced in a joint press conference with the TSC Board that Thailand’s international trade in August 2025 recorded exports valued at US$27.743 billion, a 5.8% rise from the same month last year. Imports stood at US$29.707 billion, a 15.8% increase, excluding oil-related goods, gold, and military equipment, which grew by 5.4%. In baht terms, exports were valued at 889.014 billion baht, a 5.5% decline compared to the same month last year, while imports were at 964.331 billion baht, a 3.6% increase. This resulted in a trade deficit of US$1.964 billion in August 2025, and a deficit of 75.317 billion baht in baht terms.
Thailand’s overall international trade from January to August 2025 compared to the same period last year shows a 13.3% increase in exports, totaling US$223.175 billion, and a 4.7% increase in baht value, reaching 7,396.314 billion baht. Imports amounted to US$224.88 billion, an 11.3% increase, valued at 7,544.896 billion baht, a 3% rise. The trade deficit for this period was US$1.7 billion, equivalent to 148.58 billion baht.
The TNSC remains positive about a 3-5 percent export growth in 2025, driven by substantial growth in the first and second quarters. Despite a slowdown in the third and fourth quarters, the overall export performance for the year remains robust. However, the TNSC is monitoring several key risk factors that could affect Thai exports for the rest of 2025 and into 2026, including the US Reciprocal Tariff measures, a strengthened baht affecting competitiveness, limited credit access for small entrepreneurs, insufficient raw materials for export production, and issues with re-exporting low-quality products.
The Thai National Shippers’ Council has outlined seven key recommendations for the government and relevant agencies to address. These include stabilizing the baht, reducing business costs, expediting budget approvals to stimulate the domestic economy, resolving trade logistics issues, ensuring fair competition with domestic operators, tightening inspections of counterfeit Thai products, and promoting transparency in budget management to maximize national benefit.