In an unexpected turn of events, Thailand posted a trade deficit of USD 1.96 billion for August 2025, a stark contrast to the USD 0.26 billion surplus reported in the same month of the previous year, and falling short of the anticipated USD 0.68 billion surplus. This marks the first trade deficit since April, primarily due to exports growing at a slower pace compared to imports. Export growth was recorded at 5.8% year-on-year, representing the slowest rate in 11 months and not meeting the market's expected 9.5% increase. Meanwhile, imports surged by 15.8% year-on-year, a significant jump from July's 5.1% rise, and surpassed the forecasted 9.3% growth.