Thailand records export growth in US and Europe during fiscal 2026
Phantong Loykulnanta reports continued export growth across major markets, with shipments to the United States up 30%-34% and those to Europe up 13% year on year.
- Exports to the United States increased by 30-34% in the first 10 months of fiscal 2026.
- The growth in US exports is largely driven by the “China Plus One” policy, with Chinese firms moving production of electronics and computer equipment to Thailand to bypass US tariffs.
- Exports to Europe also saw significant growth, rising by 13% during the same period.
- Thai authorities are conducting rigorous inspections to verify that goods legally qualify as “Made in Thailand” and prevent false origin claims.
Phantong Loykulnanta, director-general of the Customs Department, reported that Thailand’s international trade reached THB21.4 trillion in the first 10 months of fiscal 2026.
The figure was close to the full-year total of THB22 trillion recorded the previous year.
This has led to expectations that overall trade will expand substantially this year.
Although economic conditions may appear to be slowing, the country’s actual trade figures have continued to grow across all major markets.
Exports to the United States alone increased by 30%-34% from the same period a year earlier.
Phantong attributed the growth to electronic components and computer equipment, partly as a result of the “China Plus One” investment-diversification policy.
He explained that Chinese businesses, unable to export goods directly to the United States because of tariff measures, had decided to relocate production to Thailand and use the country as an export base for the US market.
The director-general confirmed that the Thai government did not bar manufacturers from setting up factories in the country.
Although foreign operators might initially import all their components when establishing production bases, he believed that, after about one year of operation, those factories could increase the proportion of locally manufactured components, or “local content”.
However, he stressed that Thailand would not accept false claims about product origin.
To prevent certificates of origin from being issued improperly, the Customs Department has worked with relevant agencies to carry out rigorous on-site inspections at industrial factories, including in Laem Chabang, to verify actual production processes and ensure that goods legally qualify as “Made in Thailand” products.
Beyond the US market, exports to other markets also performed well during the first 10 months.
Exports to Europe rose by 13% from the same period a year earlier, while exports to China and member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) also recorded growth.
