Thailand's economy grew faster than expected in the first quarter of 2026, official data showed on Monday.
GDP expanded 2.8% year-on-year, beating the median forecast of 2.2% in a Reuters poll.
Growth was driven by higher exports, consumption, and investment. However, the government kept its full-year outlook unchanged at 1.5% to 2.5%.
On a seasonally adjusted quarterly basis, the economy grew 0.7%, topping the forecast of 0.1%.
Unemployment rose to 0.91% from 0.70% in the previous quarter, raising concerns.
The government approved a 400 billion baht loan decree to ease living costs and support the energy transition.
Exports are forecast to grow 9.6% this year, while tourism arrivals are expected to decline to 32 million.
The central bank governor expects growth of 2.1% this year, up from 1.5% previously projected.
