Two-way investment brief

Australia–Thailand

At the end of 2025, investors from Thailand held A$5.6 bn of direct investment in Australia, making it Australia’s 21st-largest source of foreign direct investment (0.4% of the total). That stock fell 1.2% over the year and has grown -0.0% a year on average over the past decade. Australian direct investment in Thailand was A$308 m — the 30th-largest destination for Australian direct investment abroad. The relationship is weighted towards Thailand investing in Australia (18.2× Australia’s direct investment there). Thailand was Australia’s 11th-largest two-way trading partner in 2025 (goods and services, A$32.4 bn; 2.5% of Australia’s trade). Globally, Thailand was the world’s 32nd-largest source of FDI outflows in 2024 ($7.4 bn, World Bank).

Data (CSV)Thailand global profile

Thailand direct investment in Australia

A$5.6 bn

−1.2%vs 202421st largest

Total Thailand investment in Australia

A$9.6 bn

30th largest · 0.2%

Australian direct investment in Thailand

A$308 m

30th largest destination

Total Australian investment in Thailand

A$3.5 bn

Levels at 31 Dec 2025

Trend

Direct investment in both directions

Direct investment levels, Australia–Thailand

Thailand in Australia
Australia in Thailand

Source: ABS, International Investment Position, Australia: Supplementary Statistics (5352.0).

Thailand’s investment in Australia by type

Direct investment
Portfolio investment
Other investment

Source: ABS, International Investment Position, Australia: Supplementary Statistics (5352.0).

Annual direct investment flows

Net transactions during the year; negative = net disinvestment

Thailand → Australia
Australia → Thailand

Source: ABS, International Investment Position, Australia: Supplementary Statistics (5352.0).

Trade relationship

Australia–Thailand trade

Investment and trade move together: the partners that invest most in Australia are usually major trading partners too. Goods trade is recorded monthly (latest: July 2026); services annually.

Two-way trade, 2025

A$32.4 bn

11th largest partner · 2.5%

Goods exports to Thailand, 2025

A$7.1 bn

12 months to July 2026: A$7.6 bn

Goods imports from Thailand, 2025

A$19.2 bn

12 months to July 2026: A$22.8 bn

Services trade, 2025

A$6.0 bn

Exports A$1.6 bn · imports A$4.4 bn

Goods trade

Calendar years, A$ (ABS merchandise trade)

Exports to Thailand
Imports from Thailand

Source: ABS, International Merchandise Trade (MERCH_EXP / MERCH_IMP), summed to calendar years.

Services trade

Calendar years, A$ (ABS international trade in services by country)

Exports to Thailand
Imports from Thailand

Source: ABS, International Trade in Services by Country, calendar years.

Economic outlook

Thailand’s economy

IMF World Economic Outlook	2024	2025	2026forecast	2027forecast	2028forecast
Real GDP growth	2.9%	2.4%	1.5%	2.1%	2.3%
Inflation	0.4%	−0.1%	0.9%	1.0%	1.2%
Unemployment rate	1.0%	1.0%	1.0%	1.0%	1.0%
Current account, % GDP	2.2%	3.1%	0.7%	1.4%	1.9%
Fiscal balance, % GDP	−1.3%	−1.9%	−2.2%	−1.9%	−2.0%
Government gross debt, % GDP	62.9%	64.7%	66.8%	67.8%	68.6%

Source: IMF World Economic Outlook via the IMF DataMapper API. Years from 2026 are IMF projections; recent years may be estimates and are revised in each WEO round (April and October).

2025 at a glance

New FDI from Thailand: A$98 m
New Australian FDI in Thailand: A$10 m
Direct investment income paid to investors: —
Direct investment income earned by Australians: A$18 m

Thailand globally (World Bank)

FDI outflows, 2024: $7.4 bn · 32nd
FDI inflows, 2025: $18.8 bn
GDP, 2025: $577 bn
Region · income: East Asia & Pacific · Upper-middle income

Regulatory openness (OECD FDIRRI)

OECD index data loading — see FDI openness

Sources: ABS, International Investment Position, Australia: Supplementary Statistics (cat. 5352.0), 2025 release, released 2026-05-06 — levels at 31 December and calendar-year flows and income, A$ millions, immediate counterparty basis (investment routed via third economies is attributed to the intermediate economy). World Bank WDI (US$). OECD FDI Regulatory Restrictiveness Index. np = not published for confidentiality; included in totalsPrepared independently by FDIstats from public statistics; not an Australian Government publication and not investment advice. For foreign investment rules, see the Treasury and FIRB.