BANGKOK, May 18 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's economic growth increased in the first quarter of 2026, mainly due to accelerated overall investment, merchandise exports, and government spending amid a continued rise in private consumption, official data showed on Monday.

The country's gross domestic product (GDP) in the January-March period grew 2.8 percent from a year earlier, quickening from a 2.5 percent rise in the previous quarter, according to the National Economic and Social Development Council (NESDC).

On a quarterly basis, GDP expanded a seasonally adjusted 0.7 percent in the first quarter, slowing sharply from a 1.9 percent gain in the earlier three months and marking the second consecutive quarterly expansion, the NESDC said in a statement.

Exports, a key driver of Thai economic growth, are expected to grow 9.6 percent this year, up from a 2 percent increase in an earlier forecast, reflecting easing global trade restrictions and a surge in demand for advanced technology-related products, said NESDC Secretary-General Danucha Pichayanan.

The Southeast Asian nation's economy is projected to expand between 1.5 percent and 2.5 percent in 2026, unchanged from the previous estimation, Danucha told a news conference.

He noted that ongoing expansions in private consumption and investment, an increased budget for public expenditures, and robust export growth would help support the Thai economy going forward. ■