Thailand records 2.53% inflation as consumer prices increase

The August report highlights regional gains in business formation and tourism alongside low consumer confidence and weak farm incomes.

The Ministry of Commerce’s Trade Policy and Strategy Office (TPSO) reported uneven conditions in Thailand’s regional economies in its August 2026 review. Rising living costs remained a key source of pressure and consumer confidence stayed weak, although business formation and tourism continued to grow well in some areas. TPSO data showed that the headline consumer price index (CPI) rose 2.53% in August from a year earlier, with increases in every region. The South recorded the highest inflation rate at 2.85%, followed by the Central region at 2.81%, the Northeast at 2.43%, Bangkok and surrounding provinces at 2.38%, and the North at 2.21%, reflecting widespread price pressures. A key factor was the 2.99% increase in prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages, compared with 2.23% for other categories excluding food and beverages. Among agricultural products, fresh vegetable prices rose 7.42%, while prices for eggs and dairy products increased 5.16%. TPSO assessed that prices of ...