Anutin confident Thailand's GDP growth will exceed 2.1pct in 2026

BANGKOK: Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul is confident that the country's economic growth will exceed the projected 2.1 per cent this year, citing stronger foreign investment, exports and tax revenue as signs of an improving economic outlook.

Anutin said foreign investment in the first half of 2026 was about 30 per cent higher than the total recorded for the whole of last year, while exports grew by more than 20 per cent.

"Therefore, Thailand's gross domestic product (GDP) growth this year will certainly not be 2.1 per cent," he said in an interview on the "Talk with Anutin's Cabinet" programme on Saturday.

Anutin, who is also Interior Minister, said he had instructed the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC) to review its economic growth calculations, assumptions and underlying data before determining the extent of any upward revision.

He said the government had also observed higher corporate and personal income tax collections, alongside increased circulation of funds from economic stimulus measures.

Anutin stressed that accurate growth projections were important for investor confidence and financing costs, adding that stronger economic performance could help Thailand attract more foreign investment.

He said the government was repositioning Thailand as an investment destination by highlighting its transport infrastructure, logistics capabilities and access to the Asean market, rather than competing primarily on cheap labour and low electricity costs.

"Investors could use Thailand as a base to access its domestic market of about 70 million people and the wider Asean market of about 700 million, supported by road, rail, air and maritime connectivity," he said.

The Prime Minister said the government was also stepping up efforts to expand trade and investment ties with markets such as the United States, Europe, the United Arab Emirates, and Central Asia.

On energy, Anutin said the government would promote clean energy and enable households to generate electricity for their own use and sell surplus power back to the state grid, helping reduce household expenses while creating additional income.

He added that Thailand's hosting of the International Monetary Fund-World Bank meetings in Bangkok recently had facilitated bilateral discussions, business matchmaking and international cooperation, while strengthening confidence in the country's capacity to host major global events.

According to him, the government expects to build on these benefits to attract further investment and boost tourism and the MICE (Meetings, Exhibitions, Conventions and Industries) industry amid rapid changes in the global economic and geopolitical landscape.