Thai consumer confidence drops in March: survey

[BANGKOK] Thai consumer confidence dropped to its lowest in six months on concerns about rising energy prices, higher living costs and the conflict in the Middle East, a survey showed on Thursday.

Thailand’s consumer confidence index stood at 51.8 in March, down from 53.7 in the previous month, said the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, which conducted the survey.

As of April 7, 2026, Thailand has oil supplies sufficient for about 105 days, the energy ministry said.

The Oil Fuel Fund recorded a deficit of 56.23 billion baht (S$2.2 billion), with diesel subsidies amounting to about 1.47 billion baht per day.

The government is planning a borrowing guarantee for the fund, along with other support measures, to mitigate the impact of rising oil prices.

Thailand’s leading business group last week cut its GDP forecast for 2026 to 1.2 per cent to 1.6 per cent, from 1.6 per cent to 2 per cent.

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South-east Asia’s second-largest economy grew 2.4 per cent last year, lagging regional peers. REUTERS