Thailand Border Trade Surges 12% in Seven Months

Thailand's seven-month border and cross-border trade reached 1.34 trillion baht, growing 12.9 percent. Arada Fuengtong, director-general of the Department of Foreign Trade, reported July 2026 border and cross-border trade totaled 212.3 billion baht, expanding 27.9 percent from the previous year, with exports of 124.9 billion baht up 35.5 percent and imports of 87.4 billion baht up 18.4 percent, creating a trade surplus of 37.5 billion baht. For the first seven months of 2026, total trade reached 1.34 trillion baht, up 12.9 percent, comprising 760.6 billion baht in exports up 10.4 percent and 581.2 billion baht in imports up 16.2 percent, with a cumulative trade surplus of 179.4 billion baht.

Border trade with four neighboring countries in July 2026 totaled 81.3 billion baht, growing 22.8 percent, with exports of 44.9 billion baht up 25.8 percent and imports of 36.4 billion baht up 19.3 percent, yielding a trade surplus of 8.5 billion baht. Malaysia led with 40.6 billion baht in trade, up 55 percent, followed by Laos at 24.7 billion baht up 10 percent and Myanmar at 16 billion baht down 6.9 percent. Thailand-Cambodia border trade recorded only 0.024 million baht in imports—clothing items requiring tariff collection at Khlong Yai Customs in Trat province.

Key border export items included diesel at 4.4 billion baht, computer equipment at 1.7 billion baht, and other refined petroleum products at 1.7 billion baht. For seven months, border trade totaled 512.3 billion baht, declining 10.5 percent, with exports of 291.1 billion baht down 15.4 percent and imports of 221.2 billion baht down 3.2 percent.

Cross-border trade to third countries in July 2026 reached 131 billion baht, up 31.3 percent, with exports of 80 billion baht up 41.6 percent and imports of 51 billion baht up 17.8 percent. Trade with China dominated at 72.8 billion baht, up 15.6 percent, followed by Singapore at 30.4 billion baht up 137.5 percent and Vietnam at 10 billion baht up 58 percent. Major cross-border exports included fresh durian at 22.1 billion baht, telephone receivers and equipment at 10.6 billion baht, and hard disk drives at 10 billion baht. For seven months, cross-border trade totaled 829.5 billion baht, up 34.6 percent, with exports of 469.5 billion baht up 36.3 percent and imports of 360 billion baht up 32.5 percent.

Fuengtong noted that July border trade expanded 22.8 percent, continuing strong momentum. Thailand-Malaysia trade grew 55 percent to 40.6 billion baht with exports of 19.5 billion baht up 36 percent, led by computer equipment including laptops at 1.6 billion baht up 84.8 percent, electrical circuit boards at 1.6 billion baht up 75.5 percent, and concentrated rubber at 1.2 billion baht up 15.1 percent. Thailand-Laos trade expanded 10 percent to 24.7 billion baht with exports of 15.6 billion baht up 25.8 percent, featuring diesel at 3.8 billion baht up 108.1 percent, other refined petroleum at 1.2 billion baht up 55.5 percent, and pickup trucks and buses at 821 million baht up 300 percent.

Cross-border trade surged 31.3 percent, with exports to Singapore expanding sharply by 248.9 percent to 24.4 billion baht.