Thailand's FTA-backed exports reach $31.77 billion in April, durian and vehicles lead

Thailand's FTA export utilisation rises in April

Thai exporters made wider use of free-trade-agreement (FTA) preferences in April 2026, the country's Department of Foreign Trade reported. Exports claiming FTA privileges were worth $31,772 million during the month, an increase of 10.19% from a year earlier. The department said the ASEAN-China market was the main destination for preference-backed shipments, while durian and motor vehicles were the leading products moving under the agreements. The department also identified five markets with the highest use of preferences, without any single destination displacing ASEAN-China at the top.

Durian and vehicles lead exports

Fresh durian and finished vehicles topped the list of goods exported using FTA privileges, according to the Department of Foreign Trade. Both are natural candidates for preferential treatment. Durian faces strong regional demand where tariff cuts widen the price gap against fruit shipped at standard rates, while vehicles and their components rank among Thailand's largest manufactured exports. Claiming FTA preferences on these lines lowers the duty paid by the importer, improving the competitiveness of Thai goods against rivals shipping without preferential access. The concentration of utilisation in a small number of high-value product groups shows where the tariff savings are large enough to justify the paperwork.

ASEAN-China the leading market

The ASEAN-China trade area was the largest market for FTA-backed Thai exports during the month, the department said. The framework links the ten ASEAN economies with China and covers a broad range of goods. For Thai fruit exporters, China is the dominant outlet for durian, and preferential access under the ASEAN-China arrangement reduces the cost of reaching that market. The prominence of this corridor underlines how closely Thailand's preference-backed trade is tied to Chinese demand and to intra-ASEAN supply chains in the automotive sector.

Why utilisation matters

Rising FTA utilisation signals that more exporters find the administrative effort of claiming preferences worthwhile, a sign that the tariff savings on offer are meaningful. The 10.19% year-on-year increase points to firms actively routing shipments through agreements rather than paying standard duties. For importers in partner markets, higher utilisation translates into lower landed costs on Thai durian, vehicles and other covered goods. The figures give producers and traders a read on which agreements and products are delivering the clearest commercial benefit, and they highlight the exposure that comes with leaning on one market and a narrow band of goods.