BANGKOK, May 18 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's economic growth increased in the first quarter of 2026, mainly due to accelerated overall investment, merchandise exports, and government spending amid a continued rise in private consumption, official data showed on Monday.

Temple of Dawn is seen moments before its lights are turned off for Earth Hour 2026 in Bangkok, Thailand, Saturday, March 28, 2026. (File photo: AP)

The country's gross domestic product (GDP) in the January-March period grew 2.8 percent from a year earlier, quickening from a 2.5 percent rise in the previous quarter, according to the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC).

On a quarterly basis, GDP expanded a seasonally adjusted 0.7 percent in the first quarter, slowing sharply from a 1.9 percent gain in the earlier three months and marking the second consecutive quarterly expansion, the NESDC said in a statement.

Exports, a key driver of Thai economic growth, are expected to grow 9.6 percent this year, up from a 2 percent increase in an earlier forecast, reflecting easing global trade restrictions and a surge in demand for advanced technology-related products, said NESDC Secretary-General Danucha Pichayanan.

The Southeast Asian nation's economy is projected to expand between 1.5 percent and 2.5 percent in 2026, unchanged from the previous estimation, Danucha told a news conference.

He noted that ongoing expansions in private consumption and investment, an increased budget for public expenditures, and robust export growth would help support the Thai economy going forward.