Thailand – Vietnam’s Largest ASEAN Export Market
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Thailand remains Vietnam’s largest export market within ASEAN, accounting for over 20% of Vietnam’s total export turnover to the regional bloc, followed by Indonesia and the Philippines.
According to data released by the General Department of Vietnam Customs, Vietnam’s exports to Thailand maintained steady growth during the first four months of 2025.
In April 2025 alone, Vietnam exported USD 564.6 million worth of goods to Thailand.
Cumulatively, during January–April 2025, total export turnover reached USD 2.67 billion, up 1.4% year-on-year.
Trade Balance and Two-Way Turnover
On the import side, Vietnam imported over USD 4.2 billion worth of goods from Thailand during the same period, marking a sharp 18.5% increase.
This brought the total bilateral trade turnover between the two countries to USD 6.87 billion, up 11.2%, resulting in a trade deficit for Vietnam of approximately USD 1.53 billion.
Key Vietnamese Export Products to Thailand
Vietnam’s major export items to Thailand include:
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Machinery, equipment, tools, and spare parts
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Computers, electronic products, and components
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Phones and accessories
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Crude oil
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Transport vehicles and parts
Among these, the top export item in the first four months of 2025 was:
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Computers, electronic products, and components: USD 475.4 million (up 103.9% YoY), accounting for 17.7%of total exports.
Following this were:
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Machinery, equipment, tools, and spare parts: USD 339 million (up 12.6%), making up 12.6% of export turnover.
Several export categories showed notable year-on-year increases:
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Seafood: +34.4%
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Coffee: +46%
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Steel products: +64.6%
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Chemicals: +103%
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Pepper: +61.9%
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Precious stones and metals: +206%
Major Imports from Thailand
The largest import group from Thailand during January–April 2025 was:
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Computers, electronic products, and components: over USD 545.34 million, accounting for 13% of total imports from Thailand (up 39.8% YoY).
Other major import categories included:
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Completely built-up automobiles: USD 465.37 million, up 74.6%, accounting for 11.1% of total import value.
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Household electrical appliances and parts: USD 423.33 million, up 29.6%, representing 10.1%.
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Machinery, equipment, tools, and spare parts: USD 329.85 million, up 21%.
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Auto parts and accessories: USD 236.97 million, up 16.6%.
Trade Overview 2024–2025
In 2024, total bilateral trade between Vietnam and Thailand reached USD 20.18 billion, up 6.4% year-on-year.
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Vietnam’s exports: USD 7.78 billion (+8.3%)
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Imports: USD 12.4 billion (+5.2%)
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Resulting in a trade deficit of USD 4.62 billion.
During Q1 2025, bilateral trade totaled USD 5.16 billion, marking a 9.4% YoY increase.
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Exports to Thailand: USD 2.06 billion (down 3% YoY)
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Imports from Thailand: USD 3.1 billion (up 19.7% YoY)
Strategic Insights
Thailand continues to be a crucial trading partner for Vietnam, not only within ASEAN but also in the broader Asia-Pacific supply chain.
Vietnamese exports have benefited from rising demand for electronics, industrial components, and agricultural goods, while imports of machinery, automobiles, and consumer goods highlight Thailand’s role as a key production and distribution hub in the region.
Efforts to diversify product structures, expand processed exports, and reduce trade deficits are expected to remain priorities in Vietnam’s trade policy with Thailand over the coming years.