Thailand’s new vehicle sales rose 17% in June 2026, reaching 58,724 units compared with 50,079 units a year earlier, according to data from the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI). The increase was driven by robust demand for passenger battery‑electric vehicles, which jumped 140% year‑on‑year to 22,275 units, while sales of internal‑combustion‑engine vehicles fell 34% to 8,114 units.
The domestic vehicle market continued its recovery last month, bolstered by improving economic activity. Recent government figures indicate that GDP grew 2.8% year‑on‑year in Q1 2026, up from 2.5% in Q4 2025, driven by higher government spending and stronger private investment, while private consumption growth moderated slightly.
In the first half of 2026, Thailand’s domestic vehicle market grew by nearly 15%, reaching 346,966 units versus 302,694 units a year earlier. Pickup‑truck sales slipped 4% to 71,271 units, whereas light‑passenger‑vehicle sales rose 22% to 261,319 units. The growth was led by a 93% increase in Chinese‑origin battery‑electric vehicles (to 104,418 units) and a 21% rise in hybrid‑electric vehicle sales (to 81,502 units), while internal‑combustion‑engine passenger‑car sales declined 25% to 54,506 units.
Overall vehicle production in Thailand fell 1% year‑to‑date, amounting to 717,212 units. Exports dropped 8% to 421,144 units, a decline attributed to disrupted shipments to Middle‑East markets amid the US‑Iran conflict.
The FTI projects 2026 vehicle production in Thailand to reach 1.45 million units, comprising 550,000 domestic sales and 900,000 exports. GlobalData forecasts light‑vehicle sales to increase 5% this year to 647,000 units, after a 9% rise to 618,000 units in 2025, and anticipates a further 5% increase to 679,000 units in 2027.
