BANGKOK, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's industrial output grew for a second straight month in January, driven by continued expansion in auto production and campaign activities leading up to the February general election, official data showed on Thursday.

This photo taken on November 12, 2025 shows workers assembling calculators at the Casio factory in Thailand's Nakhon Ratchasima province. (File photo: AFP)

The Southeast Asian country's manufacturing production index (MPI) rose 1.46 percent last month compared to a year earlier, according to the Ministry of Industry.

Key positive contributors to the January reading were electronic components and circuit boards, palm oils, and automobiles, said Supakit Boonsiri, director general of the ministry's Office of Industrial Economics.

Meanwhile, the industrial sector was weighed down by a decline in inbound tourism, along with the appreciation of the local currency baht, which weakened the competitiveness of Thai products, Supakit told a news conference.

The MPI is projected to expand 1.5 percent to 2.5 percent in 2026, supported by sustained growth in trade with major partners, government economic stimulus measures, and a trend toward easing monetary policy, he said.