Thailand's export outlook for the remaining two months of the year remains positive, though growth may moderate for the period, according to the Commerce Ministry.
Nantapong Chiralerspong, director-general of the Trade Policy and Strategy Office, said on Tuesday that export momentum is expected to be driven by strong global demand for digital technology products, along with sustained demand for processed agricultural goods and food products.
However, potential baht appreciation towards the year-end and a possible decline in agricultural output due to the floods present downside risk that the Commerce Ministry will continue to monitor closely, he said.
The Commerce Ministry expects that exports in the final two months will be valued at around US$25–26 billion a month. This would result in full-year export growth of 10.7–11.4%, amounting to $332–334 billion.
According to Mr Nantapong, Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun has personally outlined strategic policies to drive export growth built on three key pillars: strengthening established markets, expanding into high-potential new markets and accelerating trade negotiations to enhance market access.
Priority initiatives include advancing the reciprocal tariff agreement and deepening Thailand's economic partnership with the US, with an emphasis on achieving rapid, concrete results that deliver measurable benefits for exporters.
To support these objectives, a dedicated task force has been established to assess tariff impacts and provide exporters with critical data for informed strategic planning, he said.
In a related development, the Commerce Ministry reported on Tuesday that exports in October were valued at $28.8 billion (910.3 billion baht), marking a 16th consecutive month of expansion with year-on-year growth of 5.7%.
Excluding gold, oil-related products and arms, exports rose sharply by 15.7%.
Export performance strengthened across both primary markets -- particularly the US, China and the EU -- and secondary markets such as South Asia, the Middle East and Latin America, despite continued pressure from higher US tariffs.
Growth was driven mainly by sustained demand for electronics and automotive products, supported by continued expansion in global manufacturing activity, increased output and new orders. However, Thai agricultural exports remained in contraction.
The ministry also reported imports grew by 16.3% year-on-year in October to $32.2 billion, resulting in a trade deficit of $3.44 billion.
For the first 10 months of 2025, total exports expanded by 13% to $282.9 billion, while imports grew by 12.4% to 286.8 billion, resulting in a trade deficit of $3.87 billion.
"Exports in October slowed compared with the previous month [September], when they expanded by as much as 19%. This was because Thailand accelerated exports in recent months, resulting in high inventory levels among trading partners, which in turn caused a slowdown in exports in October," said Mr Nantapong.
He noted that next year's export growth is unlikely to match this year's pace, as a significant volume of goods has already been stocked towards the end of 2025. He added that the impact of the US tariffs is expected to become clearer next year and could further weigh on export momentum.
"The export target for next year is expected to be finalised by the end of next month, when the Commerce Ministry meets with private sector representatives to set the goal," he said.
Source: Bangkok Post
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<p>Time: November 2025<br /> By: WTO and International Trade Group, Legal Department – VCCI</p>
