Summary
- Laos → Thailand
- $3.4billion
- Thailand → Laos
- $4.9billion
- Laos’ balance
- -$1.6billion
Balance
Laos’ trade balance with Thailand
Trade between Laos and Thailand grew 19.8-fold since 1995
USD billions (current). Laos’ exports and imports; bars: its balance (green surplus, red deficit).
- Exports 3.4
- Imports 4.9
- Balance -1.6
Source: CEPII BACI
Show the numbers
| Year | Exports | Imports | Trade balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | $69 million | $349 million | -$280 million |
| 1996 | $68 million | $359 million | -$292 million |
| 1997 | $55 million | $380 million | -$325 million |
| 1998 | $30 million | $364 million | -$334 million |
| 1999 | $55 million | $404 million | -$349 million |
| 2000 | $73 million | $380 million | -$306 million |
| 2001 | $87 million | $409 million | -$321 million |
| 2002 | $92 million | $390 million | -$298 million |
| 2003 | $100 million | $448 million | -$348 million |
| 2004 | $111 million | $566 million | -$455 million |
| 2005 | $219 million | $759 million | -$540 million |
| 2006 | $489 million | $997 million | -$508 million |
| 2007 | $467 million | $1.3 billion | -$830 million |
| 2008 | $614 million | $1.8 billion | -$1.1 billion |
| 2009 | $463 million | $1.6 billion | -$1.2 billion |
| 2010 | $856 million | $2.1 billion | -$1.3 billion |
| 2011 | $1.2 billion | $2.8 billion | -$1.6 billion |
| 2012 | $1.3 billion | $3.4 billion | -$2.1 billion |
| 2013 | $1.5 billion | $3.7 billion | -$2.3 billion |
| 2014 | $1.4 billion | $4.2 billion | -$2.8 billion |
| 2015 | $1.5 billion | $3.9 billion | -$2.4 billion |
| 2016 | $2 billion | $3.8 billion | -$1.9 billion |
| 2017 | $2.3 billion | $3.7 billion | -$1.4 billion |
| 2018 | $2.7 billion | $4.1 billion | -$1.4 billion |
| 2019 | $2.6 billion | $3.8 billion | -$1.2 billion |
| 2020 | $2.9 billion | $3.2 billion | -$247 million |
| 2021 | $3.2 billion | $3.9 billion | -$690 million |
| 2022 | $3.4 billion | $4.5 billion | -$1.2 billion |
| 2023 | $3 billion | $4.4 billion | -$1.4 billion |
| 2024 | $3.4 billion | $4.9 billion | -$1.6 billion |
What they sell each other
What Laos sells to Thailand
The top 10 headings in 2024, with their share of the total.
What Thailand sells to Laos
The top 10 headings in 2024, with their share of the total.
How it travels
Laos and Thailand traded $8.3 billion in 2024 (both directions together). They trade mostly over land: 100% of the value travels by truck, rail or pipeline.
Split by transport mode
Mode estimated from value per kilo and geography; both directions together.
How much each matters to the other
Thailand was Laos’ largest trading partner (43% of its trade), and Laos was Thailand’s 20th (1%).
- Thailand in Laos’ trade
- 42.6%
- Thailand’s rank among Laos’ partners
- 1st
- Laos in Thailand’s trade
- 1.3%
- Laos’ rank among Thailand’s partners
- 20th
Compare with
Other partners of Laos
Other partners of Thailand
Sources and methodology
Sources and licenses
- CEPII BACI · Licence Ouverte Etalab 2.0
- World Bank, Global Shipping Traffic Density · CC BY 4.0 (route network derived by this site)
- World Port Index (NGA) · Public domain (US Government work)
- Natural Earth · Public domain
Methodology
Goods trade from CEPII BACI (BACI_HS92_V202601), in current US dollars, with exports and imports reconciled between countries. The transport mode is our own estimate based on value per kilo and geography. The sea route comes from our own network derived from World Bank shipping density (not from nautical charts), between one main reference port per country (World Port Index); days are the distance at 14 and 18 knots, without port calls or waiting. Data up to 2024.