BANGKOK, Thailand – Thailand’s digital economy is expected to reach approximately 5.7 trillion baht in 2026, expanding 5.6% from last year and growing more than twice as fast as the overall Thai economy, according to the Office of the National Board of the Digital Economy and Society (BDE).
BDE Secretary-General Wetang Phuangsup said the digital economy is benefiting from an upswing in the global digital and electronics industries, particularly rising demand for artificial intelligence (AI)-related products and the accelerating digital transformation of businesses worldwide. Thailand’s digital exports surged 45% in the first half of 2026, with exports to the United States also accelerating amid uncertainty over trade and tariff measures.
Citing an International Monetary Fund (IMF) report, BDE said Thailand is among the world’s four major exporters of AI-related hardware, alongside Taiwan, South Korea and Malaysia, highlighting the growing importance of electronics and AI-related components to the country’s digital economy.
Digital investment is expected to grow 8.9% in 2026, up from 4.5% last year. Private-sector digital investment is projected to expand 9.2%, driven by infrastructure investment supporting AI and large-scale data processing, including data centres and cloud services.
Public-sector digital investment is also expected to return to growth, rising 3.3% after contracting 3.3% in 2025. Private consumption in the digital economy is forecast to expand 4.2%, up from 3.1% last year, while government digital consumption is expected to rise 5.1%, supported by increased digital budget spending. Digital goods and services exports are projected to grow 22.2% in 2026, while imports are expected to rebound 24% as Thailand imports equipment, components and services needed for data centre and AI infrastructure investment.
By sector, software is expected to record the strongest growth at 9.4%, followed by smart devices at 8.1% and hardware at 7.7%. Digital services and telecommunications are both projected to grow 3.9%, supported by increased data usage through 5G networks, home internet, cloud services and digital solutions for businesses. BDE forecasts that Thailand’s digital economy could accelerate further to 6.3% growth in 2027, supported by continued investment in data centres, cloud services, printed circuit boards (PCBs) and semiconductors.
However, geopolitical uncertainty remains a key risk, particularly developments in the Middle East, potential US Section 301 tariff measures, competition for digital investment across the region, competition from imported digital products and natural disasters that could disrupt global digital supply and demand. (Story and Photo: MGR Online)
