Indicators

Thai Economic Growth in 2024 Disappoints as Trade Risks Loom

  • Manufacturing extends slump in 2024 as imports flooded market
  • US trade, tariff policies key concern, officials say

Thailand remains a growth laggard in the region as household consumption and manufacturing continue to be under pressure.

Photographer: Andre Malerba/Bloomberg

Thailand’s economic growth was weaker-than-expected in 2024 and continued to lag its neighbors as it faces a year fraught with risks from global trade policy hurdles and sluggish domestic demand.

Southeast Asia’s second largest economy grew 2.5% last year, the National Economic and Social Development Council said Monday. That was slower than the median estimate for a 2.7% gain in a Bloomberg News survey although it picked up from a revised 2% expansion in 2023.