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Trade between Thailand and the United Kingdom

In 2024, Thailand exported $5.2 billion to the United Kingdom and imported $2.4 billion. Thailand ran a surplus of $2.8 billion with the United Kingdom, compared with a surplus of $1.8 billion in 2019. The United Kingdom was Thailand’s 22nd largest trading partner (1% of its trade), and Thailand was the United Kingdom’s 32nd (0.7%).

Summary

Thailand → United Kingdom
$5.2billion
United Kingdom → Thailand
$2.4billion
Thailand’s balance
$2.8billion

Balance

Thailand’s trade balance with the United Kingdom

Trade between Thailand and the United Kingdom grew 2.3-fold since 1995

USD billions (current). Thailand’s exports and imports; bars: its balance (green surplus, red deficit).

  • Exports 5.2
  • Imports 2.4
  • Balance +2.8

Source: CEPII BACI

Show the numbers
YearExportsImportsTrade balance
1995$1.7 billion$1.5 billion$178 million
1996$2 billion$1.6 billion$335 million
1997$2.4 billion$1.5 billion$928 million
1998$2.5 billion$766 million$1.8 billion
1999$2.7 billion$822 million$1.8 billion
2000$3 billion$1 billion$1.9 billion
2001$2.9 billion$1.1 billion$1.8 billion
2002$2.9 billion$900 million$2 billion
2003$3.4 billion$919 million$2.5 billion
2004$3.9 billion$1.2 billion$2.7 billion
2005$3.9 billion$1.3 billion$2.6 billion
2006$4.3 billion$1.3 billion$3.1 billion
2007$4.9 billion$1.5 billion$3.4 billion
2008$5.1 billion$1.8 billion$3.3 billion
2009$3.7 billion$1.8 billion$1.9 billion
2010$4.3 billion$1.9 billion$2.4 billion
2011$4.7 billion$2.1 billion$2.5 billion
2012$4 billion$2.8 billion$1.2 billion
2013$3.8 billion$3.3 billion$475 million
2014$4.1 billion$2.7 billion$1.5 billion
2015$3.8 billion$2.3 billion$1.5 billion
2016$3.9 billion$1.7 billion$2.2 billion
2017$3.9 billion$2.3 billion$1.6 billion
2018$3.9 billion$2.6 billion$1.3 billion
2019$3.9 billion$2.1 billion$1.8 billion
2020$3.3 billion$1.7 billion$1.6 billion
2021$3.6 billion$1.9 billion$1.7 billion
2022$5.2 billion$2.1 billion$3.1 billion
2023$5.4 billion$2.6 billion$2.8 billion
2024$5.2 billion$2.4 billion$2.8 billion

What they sell each other

What Thailand sells to the United Kingdom

The top 10 headings in 2024, with their share of the total.

  1. Prepared meat$783 million · 15.2%
    193 thousand tonnes
  2. Cameras and broadcast equipment$372 million · 7.2%
    705 tonnes
  3. Jewelry$336 million · 6.5%
    87 tonnes · Thailand’s destinations
  4. Computer and office machine parts$317 million · 6.2%
    6 thousand tonnes
  5. Trucks$200 million · 3.9%
    17 thousand tonnes · Thailand’s destinations
  6. New tires$145 million · 2.8%
    35 thousand tonnes · Thailand’s destinations
  7. Air conditioners$140 million · 2.7%
    9 thousand tonnes · Thailand’s destinations
  8. Video recorders and players$122 million · 2.4%
    153 tonnes
  9. Motorcycles$104 million · 2%
    5 thousand tonnes · Thailand’s destinations
  10. Computers$104 million · 2%
    339 tonnes · Thailand’s destinations

What the United Kingdom sells to Thailand

The top 10 headings in 2024, with their share of the total.

  1. Turbojets and gas turbines$499 million · 21.1%
    351 tonnes · the United Kingdom’s destinations
  2. Microchips$253 million · 10.7%
    6 tonnes · Thailand’s sources
  3. Diesel engines$247 million · 10.4%
    10 thousand tonnes
  4. Spirits$79 million · 3.4%
    9 thousand tonnes
  5. Medicines in measured doses or retail packs$72 million · 3.1%
    2 thousand tonnes · the United Kingdom’s destinations
  6. Aluminum scrap$61 million · 2.6%
    42 thousand tonnes
  7. Cars$56 million · 2.4%
    1 thousand tonnes · the United Kingdom’s destinations
  8. Other iron or steel articles$42 million · 1.8%
    5 thousand tonnes
  9. Diamonds$39 million · 1.6%
  10. Diodes, transistors and solar cells$30 million · 1.3%
    15 tonnes

How it travels

Estimated sea route from Laem Chabang to Felixstowe.

The estimated sea route between Laem Chabang and Felixstowe is 12,738 nautical miles (23,590 km) long: ≈ 29.5–38 days at sea (at 18 and 14 knots).

Because of the 2024 disruptions, traffic is split: 85% via the Strait of Malacca and Singapore, the Cape of Good Hope and the Strait of Dover (12,738 nautical miles); and 15% via the Strait of Malacca and Singapore, the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait, the Suez Canal, the Strait of Gibraltar and the Strait of Dover (9,298 nautical miles).

Sailing estimate without port calls, waiting or transshipment; not a schedule. One main reference port per country: in large countries it does not represent all of its ports.

Split by transport mode

  1. Sea$4 billion · 52.9%
  2. Air$3.5 billion · 47.1%

Mode estimated from value per kilo and geography; both directions together.

How much each matters to the other

The United Kingdom was Thailand’s 22nd largest trading partner (1% of its trade), and Thailand was the United Kingdom’s 32nd (0.7%).

The United Kingdom in Thailand’s trade
1.2%
The United Kingdom’s rank among Thailand’s partners
22nd
Thailand in the United Kingdom’s trade
0.7%
Thailand’s rank among the United Kingdom’s partners
32nd

Compare with

Other partners of Thailand

Other partners of the United Kingdom

Sources and methodology

Sources and licenses

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.