Thailand’s revised factory index may add 0.1 to 0.5 percentage points to measured 2026 GDP growth, Bank of Thailand Governor Vitai Ratanakorn said at a forum Thursday, Nov. 5, the Bangkok Post reported.
The Office of Industrial Economics widened the MPI series to include laptop and notebook output, optical transceivers, integrated circuits and other electronic components, and uninterruptible power supplies used by data-processing equipment.
Before accounting for the index change, Vitai said the central bank had raised its 2026 growth forecast to 2.4% from 2.3%, citing exports partly linked to investment in artificial intelligence. The Bangkok Post also reported that the bank increased its export growth forecast to 22% from 14%.
Vitai said the index’s effect on growth depends on the calculation method and the National Economic and Social Development Council’s official third-quarter GDP figures.
He also said rising oil and food costs are putting pressure on lower-income households even as some businesses and families share in the expansion. Vitai said growth of around 2% could leave households and businesses without enough income to meet their expenses.
