Thailand’s domestic car sales rose 2.54% year-on-year to 48,392 units in April 2026, slowing from a 7.29% increase in March, according to the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI). Despite the loss of momentum, April marked a second consecutive month of expansion, supported partly by orders generated at the Bangkok International Motor Show, which secured bookings for 48,394 units.
In contrast, vehicle production edged down 0.44% from a year earlier to 103,794 units, the lowest level in nearly six years. The decline was largely attributed to weakness in export markets linked to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which has pushed up global energy prices and disrupted shipping and logistics.
Even so, the FTI kept its 2026 production outlook unchanged, still expecting total vehicle output to increase by 3% to 1.5 million units, following a 0.9% drop to 1.455 million units in 2025. External demand remained soft, with vehicle exports falling 8.43% year-on-year to 60,190 units in April.
