Thailand's rice exports are seen at 7 million tonnes this year, a decline of 15% from 8.3 million in 2025, with efforts focused on boosting shipments to Malaysia and the Philippines where demand is still growing, the Commerce Ministry said on Wednesday.
In the first half of 2026, Thailand exported 3.28 million tonnes of rice, down 18.8% from a year earlier, the ministry said.
Exports in the first half decreased due to the increase in global rice production and the conflict in the Middle East, Arada Fuangtong, head of the ministry's Foreign Trade Department, told a briefing.
The export price of Thai rice was higher than that of other countries, Ms Arada said.
In the last five months of this year, demand for Thai rice shipments could increase as countries accelerate stockpiling due to drought concerns, she said.
Thailand has been the world's second-largest exporter of rice in recent years, but shipments fell behind those of Vietnam in the first half of 2026.
Thailand exported a revised 8.3 million tonnes of rice in 2025, down 16.5% from a year earlier.
