BANGKOK, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's industrial output expanded in December 2025, supported by a continued rise in auto production and industrial exports amid government stimulus measures, official data showed on Thursday.
The Southeast Asian country's manufacturing production index (MPI) rose 2.52 percent in December 2025 compared to a year earlier, rebounding from a revised 3.85 percent decline in November, according to the Ministry of Industry.
The pickup was mainly due to accelerated output of electric vehicles as automakers ramped up production to offset earlier imports under the government's incentives, said Supakit Boonsiri, director general of the ministry's Office of Industrial Economics.
An ongoing increase in industrial shipments, government policies aimed at boosting domestic consumption and tourism, and the central bank's policy rate cuts all contributed to a softer contraction of the MPI for the entire last year, Supakit told a news conference.
In 2025, the MPI shrank 0.78 percent compared to the previous year, and the capital utilization averaged 58.67 percent, he said.
Looking ahead, domestic factors warrant close attention as confidence in purchase orders weakened amid concerns over global trade policies and the appreciation of the baht currency, the official noted. ■
