Border trade slumps for seventh straight month as Thai-Cambodian tensions wipe out November crossings

Thailand’s border and transit trade declined again in November 2025, dragged down by a seventh consecutive month of contraction in border trade and a collapse in Thai-Cambodian border trade to zero amid security concerns, according to the Department of Foreign Trade (DFT).

The DFT reported that border and transit trade in November 2025 totalled 143,496 million baht, down 4.5% year-on-year. Exports were 68,339 million baht, down 20.396%, while imports were 75,156 million baht, up 16.5%.

Thailand recorded a trade deficit of 6,817 million baht in November 2025.

For the first 11 months of 2025, border and transit trade totalled 1,775,566 million baht, up 6.6%. Exports amounted to 981,928 million baht, up 2.5%, and imports reached 793,637 million baht, up 12.2%, leaving Thailand with a trade surplus of 188,291 million baht.

Border trade with four neighbours

Border trade with Thailand’s four neighbouring countries in November 2025 totalled 61,431 million baht, down 25.5%. Exports were 33,821 million baht (reported as 34.6%), while imports were 27,610 million baht (reported as 10.2%). Thailand recorded a border trade surplus of 6,211 million baht.

By partner, border trade with Malaysia was the highest at 23,199 million baht (down 8.6%), followed by Lao PDR at 22,849 million baht (down 4.3%), and Myanmar at 15,383 million baht (down 15.9%).

Border trade with Cambodia was reported at zero, or -100%. Key border export items in November 2025 included diesel (3,191 million baht), other refined oil products (1,196 million baht), and computers and other equipment (1,191 million baht).

For the first 11 months of 2025, total border trade was 828,163 million baht (reported as 7.9%), with exports of 483,582 million baht (down 12.4%) and imports of 344,581 million baht (down 0.8%).

Transit trade to third countries grows

Transit trade to third countries in November 2025 totalled 82,064 million baht, up 21.1%. Exports were 34,518 million baht, up 1.6%, and imports were 47,546 million baht, up 40.7%.

Transit trade to China was the largest at 44,420 million baht, up 19.2%, followed by Singapore and Vietnam at 13,161 million baht (up 48.6%) and 10,578 million baht (up 80.2%) respectively.

Key transit export items in November 2025 were hard disk drives (7,321 million baht), computers and other equipment (2,818 million baht), and telephones and related equipment (2,083 million baht).

For the first 11 months of 2025, transit trade totalled 947,403 million baht, up 23.6%, with exports of 498,347 million baht (up 22.7%) and imports of 449,056 million baht (up 24.7%).

DFT: border contraction offsets transit gains

Arada Fuangtong, director-general of the DFT, said that while transit trade grew strongly in November 2025, up 21.1%, border trade shrank for a seventh consecutive month, down 25.5%, pulling overall border and transit trade back into contraction at -4.5%.

She said border trade with Myanmar remained sharply lower (down 16%) due to restrictions on exports and imports between Thailand and Myanmar that are still in force, while Thai-Cambodian border trade fell to zero because of the security situation.

Transit exports to Singapore and Vietnam continued to expand, rising 54.6% and 17.5% respectively. Key transit exports to Singapore included telephones and related equipment (2,013 million baht), computers and other equipment (1,897 million baht), and jet engines and other turbines (1,440 million baht). Key transit exports to Vietnam included flavoured mineral water and soft drinks such as energy drinks (1,194 million baht), other livestock products (for example live cattle and buffalo) (636 million baht), and hard disk drives (265 million baht).

Arada said full-year border and transit trade in 2025 is expected to meet the target of 1.85 trillion baht. For 2026, the target is 1.9 trillion baht, about 2.7% higher than the 2025 target.