Exports rose for the first time in five months in August following a surge in vehicle shipments, according to data from the Ministry of Commerce.
Exports gained 6.5% in August from a year earlier, compared to a median estimate of a 1% contraction in a Bloomberg survey of 14 economists. The export value in the month was US$18.825 billion.
Automobiles, which make up 12% of total exports, climbed 40.4% in August from a year earlier.
Industrial exports rose 9%, led by the automobile, steel and semiconductor sectors.
Thailand posted a trade surplus of $2.13 billion in August, compared with $1.2 billion in the previous month.
"Part of the surge in vehicle exports last month was due to $370 million of shipments that the Customs Department failed to book in July because of technical issues," said Deputy Commerce Minister Suvit Maesincee.
The Ministry of Commerce sees exports likely posting zero expansion to a contraction of 1% for 2015.
The export value in the eight months was $141 billion, down 1.2% year-on-year. The import over the eight-month period was $125.62, making the country record a trade surplus of $15.38 billion.
Deputy director-general for Ministry of Commerce’s trade policy and strategy office told reporters the “export situation is expected to improve for the rest of this year as exports of oil-related products and commodity products are likely to get better in line with recovering oil prices.”