Thailand Vehicle Production April 2026 Falls 0.44% Amid Weak Domestic Demand
Thailand’s car production reached 103,794 units in April 2026, down 22.20% from March and slightly declining 0.44% year-on-year, reflecting weaker domestic demand and growing uncertainty in export markets.
May 25, 2026 — The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI), represented by Surapong Paisitpattanapong, reported that the decline was mainly driven by lower production for the domestic market, particularly passenger cars powered by both internal combustion engines (ICE) and battery electric vehicles (BEV), which together fell 16.77% from April 2025.
The industry is also facing pressure from geopolitical risks in the Middle East. The ongoing conflict and closure of the Strait of Hormuz have affected pickup truck exports to the region, raising concerns that export production targets may not be achieved if the situation continues for more than three months.
From January to April 2026, Thailand produced a total of 473,545 vehicles, up 4.0% year-on-year.
Passenger Car Production
Thailand produced 36,650 passenger cars in April 2026, down 8.43% year-on-year, consisting of:
- ICE passenger cars: 11,870 units, down 24.15%
- BEV passenger cars: 4,716 units, down 1.01%
- Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV): 1,738 units, up 68.57%
- Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV): 18,326 units, down 1.37%
Cumulative passenger car production during January–April 2026 reached 156,599 units, accounting for 33.07% of total vehicle production, down 1.83% year-on-year.
Within the segment:
- ICE passenger cars totaled 60,402 units, down 11.87%
- BEV passenger cars reached 15,211 units, up 7.98%
- PHEV passenger cars totaled 6,551 units, down 15.83%
- HEV passenger cars climbed to 74,435 units, up 7.71%
The data indicates that HEV continues to maintain strong production momentum, while ICE vehicles continue to decline structurally.
Commercial Vehicle and Pickup Truck Production
Commercial vehicle production in April 2026 totaled 67,144 units, up 4.54% year-on-year. From January to April, production reached 316,946 units, increasing 7.15%.
One-ton pickup truck production remained Thailand’s manufacturing backbone, totaling 65,933 units in April and 311,290 units during the first four months of 2026, representing 65.74% of total vehicle production.
Cumulative pickup production included:
- Pickup trucks: 46,796 units, down 6.55%
- Double-cab pickups: 200,592 units, up 8.41%
- BEV double-cab pickups: 1,536 units, surging 38,300%
- PPV vehicles: 62,366 units, up 8.27%
Meanwhile, trucks ranging from below 5 tons to above 10 tons recorded strong growth, with April production rising 149.69% year-on-year to 1,211 units.
Export-Oriented Production Remains Key Driver
Vehicles produced for export in April 2026 totaled 67,262 units, accounting for 64.80% of total production and increasing slightly by 0.26% year-on-year.
From January to April 2026, export-oriented production reached 316,605 units, accounting for 66.86% of total production and growing 4.56%.
Passenger car production for export rose 8.68% in April to 14,252 units, while cumulative export production reached 67,975 units, up 24.75%.
However, one-ton pickup production for export in April fell 1.78% year-on-year to 53,010 units, reflecting weaker demand from Middle Eastern markets.
Domestic Production Still Under Pressure
Production for the domestic market in April 2026 totaled 36,532 units, accounting for 35.20% of total production and declining 1.70% year-on-year.
Passenger car production for domestic sales dropped sharply by 16.77% to 22,398 units in April, underscoring fragile consumer purchasing power and tighter automotive financing conditions.
In contrast, domestic pickup production continued to recover strongly. Production for local sales rose 32.29% year-on-year to 12,923 units in April.
During January–April 2026, domestic pickup production increased 41.10%, driven mainly by:
- Double-cab pickups: up 67.67%
- PPV vehicles: up 52.99%
- Pickup trucks: up 13.37%
The latest figures suggest that Thailand’s automotive industry is increasingly relying on exports and hybrid vehicle demand to offset softness in traditional ICE passenger car segments and persistent weakness in domestic purchasing power.
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