The Thai government has raised its gross domestic product growth forecast for 2026 to a range of 1.6% to 2.0%, reversing earlier caution as export momentum accelerated beyond expectations.
The National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) cited a robust 17.6% year-on-year increase in exports during the first half of the year as the primary driver for the upward revision.
This surge was largely propelled by technology products, reflecting the global demand wave associated with artificial intelligence infrastructure and components.
In addition to the GDP upgrade, the government also lifted its full-year export growth projection to between 8% and 10%, indicating confidence that the current trade tailwinds will persist through the remainder of the year.
The revision underscores how Thailand’s manufacturing sector is benefiting from the broader global shift toward AI-related hardware, providing a counter-narrative to slower growth in other regional economies.
While the absolute growth rate remains modest, the upward adjustment suggests that external demand is proving more resilient than anticipated, potentially supporting domestic investment and employment in the tech supply chain.