Thailand: economy, interest rate and stock market
The central bank's policy rate is 1.00% (down 0.50 points over 12 months). Inflation was -0.1% in 2025 and GDP grew 2.4% (World Bank). SET Index (Thailand) is +23.5% over the past year.
Interest rate
1.00% set by Bank of Thailand. Last change: −0.25 pt on 25 Feb 2026. Over 12 months: −0.50 pt. As of 8 Oct 2026.
| Took effect | Rate | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 25 Feb 2026 | 1.00% | −0.25 pt |
| 17 Dec 2025 | 1.25% | −0.25 pt |
| 13 Aug 2025 | 1.50% | −0.25 pt |
| 30 Apr 2025 | 1.75% | −0.25 pt |
| 26 Feb 2025 | 2.00% | −0.25 pt |
| 16 Oct 2024 | 2.25% | −0.25 pt |
| 27 Sep 2023 | 2.50% | +0.25 pt |
| 2 Aug 2023 | 2.25% | +0.25 pt |
| 31 May 2023 | 2.00% | start of our data |
All countries: central bank interest rates. Rates move stocks through borrowing costs and the currency: rising rates usually weigh on rate-sensitive stocks and help banks, falling rates the opposite.
Stock market: SET Index (Thailand)
| Level | 1M | 3M | YTD | 1Y |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,573.01 | −0.4% | −3.3% | +24.9% | +23.5% |
Closing level on 15 Oct 2026. "vs 200-day avg" is how far the index is above or below its own average of the last 200 closes; "from 52-week high" is the drop from its highest level of the past year. Both are arithmetic on our price history, not a forecast.
Risk-on or risk-off?
Risk-on 4 of 5 price checks on SET Index (Thailand) are positive, as of 15 Oct 2026.
| Check | Reading today | Positive? |
|---|---|---|
| Index above its 200-day average | +4.9% vs average | Yes |
| 50-day average above the 200-day average | +6.4% | Yes |
| 3-month return positive | -3.3% | No |
| Within 10% of the 52-week high | -4.8% from high | Yes |
| Volatility at or below its own 1-year median | 20-day 12% vs median 15% (annualised) | Yes |
4 or 5 positive = Risk-on, 2 or 3 = Mixed, 0 or 1 = Risk-off. Each check uses only prices up to that day, so the same rule can be run on history (below). It describes how investors are behaving in this market, not what happens next.
- Global risk gauge (Market Compass): Risk-on, 1 of 7 warning signals on.
- Breadth: 60% of Thailand's stocks are above their own 200-day average.
- Oil is up 29% in three months. Thailand imports far more fuel than it exports, so this raises its import bill and tends to press on its currency and on fuel-heavy industries.
- The central bank has cut its rate by 0.50 points over twelve months. Easing supports borrowing and stock valuations, and can squeeze bank margins.
| Strategy | Return a year | Worst fall |
|---|---|---|
| Buy and hold the index | 5.0% | −44.3% |
| Hold only when not Risk-off (2+ checks) | 3.4% | −36.8% |
| Hold only when Risk-on (4+ checks) | 4.0% | −25.8% |
The position is decided at one day's close and applied to the next day's return, so the rule never uses the future. Time out of the market earns nothing here. Limits: index price only (no dividends, no interest on cash), no trading costs or taxes, one market and one period, and a rule that did well or badly in the past can do the opposite next time. Hypothetical results, not a promise and not advice.
Stocks that fit the current setting
Risk-on setting: the screen looks for the strongest price momentum over the last six months (skipping the latest month) among stocks trading above their 200-day average. Chosen from the 300 most traded stocks in Thailand, using prices up to 15 Oct 2026.
| Stock | Price | 3M |
|---|---|---|
| SMT Stars Microelectronics (Thai... | THB 7.15 | +77.0% |
| ML Mida Leasing Public Company... | THB 0.40 | −2.8% |
| DELL19 Dell Technologies Inc. | THB 16.50 | +32.2% |
| TRT Tirathai Public Company Limi... | THB 12.20 | −19.2% |
| CNT Christiani & Nielsen (Thai)... | THB 3.06 | +49.3% |
| KCE KCE Electronics Public Compa... | THB 74.75 | +83.2% |
| AMD80 Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. | THB 3.72 | +14.8% |
| GUNKUL Gunkul Engineering Public Co... | THB 4.96 | −6.4% |
| SSP Sermsang Power Corporation P... | THB 7.75 | +90.9% |
| TEAM Team Precision Public Compan... | THB 6.40 | +42.1% |
These are candidates to research, not recommendations. The screen reads prices only: it knows nothing about the companies' earnings, debt or valuation, and a stock can fit the setting and still fall. Momentum screens tend to pick volatile stocks, so check the Volatility column. We cannot yet test this screen fairly on the past, because our price history only contains companies that are listed today, which flatters any screen. So instead of showing a backtest we record each day's picks and will judge the rule on what happens after the fact. Educational only, not financial advice.
Economy at a glance
| Measure | Latest | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Economy size (GDP) | $577.0 billion | 2025 |
| GDP per person | $8,057 | 2025 |
| GDP growth | 2.4% | 2025 |
| Inflation (consumer prices) | -0.1% | 2025 |
| Unemployment | 0.8% | 2025 |
| Population | 71.6 million | 2025 |
| Current account balance, % of GDP | 3.0% | 2025 |
| Central government debt, % of GDP | 61.9% | 2024 |
| Exports of goods and services, % of GDP | 71.1% | 2025 |
| Imports of goods and services, % of GDP | 67.3% | 2025 |
Source: World Bank World Development Indicators, annual figures. The latest year is usually the previous calendar year, so these numbers are not live and are revised later by the World Bank.
Trade structure
Share of merchandise exports and imports by product group. ■ exports ■ imports.
High-technology products are 28.3% of manufactured exports (2024).
- Fuels are 2.4% of merchandise exports and 12.5% of imports, so energy prices are not the main swing factor in its trade.
- Manufactured goods are 73.1% of merchandise exports: the economy sells made goods abroad, which ties it to global demand and to its exchange rate.
- High-technology products are 28.3% of manufactured exports (2024), which links trade to the electronics and equipment cycle.
- Exports plus imports equal 138% of GDP, so the economy is very open to trade: global conditions reach it quickly.
- The current account was a surplus of 3.0% of GDP (2025): the country earns more abroad than it spends.
These describe the structure of trade, using the figures above. They are not forecasts and not investment advice. Latest available year differs by group (usually 2024 or 2025).
More on Thailand
Sources: Bank for International Settlements and central bank decisions (policy rates), World Bank (economy and trade), StocksXray price history (index). Educational only, not financial advice.