TRCC News
Egypt–Thailand Business Forum: Trade and Tourism in Focus
Ahead of the Egypt–Thailand Business Forum on 16 October, TRCC reviews merchandise trade and Egyptian arrivals to Thailand, with practical questions for business.
The announced keynote, “Egypt and Thailand – Building a Strategic Economic Partnership”, is to be delivered by H.E. Dr. Badr Abdelatty, Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Egyptian Expatriates. Discussion, questions and answers, and networking are intended to bring Thai and Egyptian businesses into conversation about trade and investment.
To help businesses prepare, TRCC has reviewed its published merchandise-trade and tourism statistics. Merchandise figures are in US dollars and describe trade from Thailand’s perspective. Tourism figures are arrival counts, reported separately with their own periods and limitations.
Three takeaways for business
Both trade directions grew in January–July 2026. Bilateral merchandise trade reached USD 589.22 million, up 10.8% against the same seven months of 2025. Thailand’s exports to Egypt increased by 7.9%, while its imports from Egypt rose by 27.9%. These are observed trade flows, not evidence of demand for a particular new product.Sector concentration differs sharply by direction. Iron and steel (HS 72) represented 88.1% of Thailand’s imports from Egypt in January–July 2026. Thailand’s leading export chapters included prepared food products, rubber, machinery and motor vehicles. The right starting point is a specific product and potential counterpart, not the bilateral total alone.
Tourism needs its own market assessment. Thailand recorded 1,425 arrivals of Egyptian nationals in September 2026, down 13.64% from September 2025. This is a different measure and period from the trade comparison. Merchandise growth should not be used as a proxy for tourism demand.
Five years of trade: recovery after a decline
The annual Thailand–Egypt trade history for 2021–2025 (USD) shows total trade of USD 1,232.99 million in 2021 and USD 1,243.61 million in 2022, followed by declines to USD 726.66 million in 2023 and USD 712.48 million in 2024.In 2025, Thailand exported USD 814.74 million to Egypt and imported USD 160.13 million from Egypt. Exports grew by 21.0% and imports by 308.0% compared with 2024; the much larger import percentage came from a smaller base. Total trade rose by 36.8% to USD 974.87 million, still below 2022, and Thailand’s reported merchandise surplus reached USD 654.61 million. Thailand recorded a surplus in each of the five years shown. Businesses should test assumptions about repeat orders rather than extrapolate a single year’s growth.
Thailand–Egypt merchandise trade, 2021–2025
2021 – 2025 · USD · Thailand reporting
Thailand exports to EGYPT
Thailand imports from EGYPT
USD · M = million · B = billion · K = thousand
Exact annual values and changes · USD
| Period | Thailand exports to EGYPT | Thailand imports from EGYPT | MOC-reported total trade | Thailand balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1,179,567,919.9331 | 53,422,689.8033 | 1,232,990,609.7364 | 1,126,145,230.1298 |
| 2022 | 1,036,047,562.4005−12.2% | 207,557,517.0208+288.5% | 1,243,605,079.4213+0.9% | 828,490,045.3797-297,655,184.75 USD |
| 2023 | 667,914,133.6085−35.5% | 58,743,594.4214−71.7% | 726,657,728.0299−41.6% | 609,170,539.1871-219,319,506.19 USD |
| 2024 | 673,227,387.2822+0.8% | 39,248,186.8441−33.2% | 712,475,574.1263−2.0% | 633,979,200.4381+24,808,661.25 USD |
| 2025 | 814,737,180.0246+21.0% | 160,128,815.9002+308.0% | 974,865,995.9248+36.8% | 654,608,364.1244+20,629,163.69 USD |
Source: Information and Communication Technology Center with cooperation of the Customs Department (MOC Thailand Trade Report). TRCC statistics for this selection.
Merchandise trade only. Exports include re-exports. Prepared values stay fixed; provisional source data may later be revised.
Method and data notes
Exports include re-exports. Prepared values stay fixed; provisional source data may later be revised.
Changes compare consecutive calendar years or the same YTD cutoff. Balance changes are absolute currency amounts. No comparison is shown without a selected comparable baseline.
January–July 2026: growth in both directions
The comparable Thailand–Egypt trade figures for January–July 2025 and 2026 (USD) show Thailand’s exports to Egypt rising from USD 454.25 million to USD 490.30 million. Imports from Egypt increased from USD 77.36 million to USD 98.92 million.Total trade increased from USD 531.61 million to USD 589.22 million, while Thailand’s reported surplus rose from USD 376.89 million to USD 391.38 million. Both periods cover January through July; this comparison is not a forecast for the full year.
Thailand–Egypt merchandise trade, January–July 2025 and 2026
January–July 2025 – January–July 2026 · USD · Thailand reporting
USD millions · same scale, starting at zero
Thailand exports to EGYPT
2025454.25 million
2026490.30 million
Thailand imports from EGYPT
202577.36 million
202698.92 million
Exact YTD values and changes · USD
| Period | Thailand exports to EGYPT | Thailand imports from EGYPT | MOC-reported total trade | Thailand balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January–July 2025 | 454,250,903.8176 | 77,357,603.6484 | 531,608,507.466 | 376,893,300.1692 |
| January–July 2026 | 490,299,967.8748+7.9% | 98,919,965.7264+27.9% | 589,219,933.6012+10.8% | 391,380,002.1484+14,486,701.98 USD |
Source: Information and Communication Technology Center with cooperation of the Customs Department (MOC Thailand Trade Report). TRCC statistics for this selection.
Merchandise trade only. Exports include re-exports. Prepared values stay fixed; provisional source data may later be revised.
Method and data notes
Exports include re-exports. Prepared values stay fixed; provisional source data may later be revised.
Changes compare consecutive calendar years or the same YTD cutoff. Balance changes are absolute currency amounts. No comparison is shown without a selected comparable baseline.
Which product groups matter?
Among the leading Thai export chapters to Egypt in January–July 2026 (USD), Prepared meat, seafood and insects (HS 16) accounted for USD 96.19 million, or 19.6% of exports. Rubber and rubber articles (HS 40) followed at USD 92.00 million and 18.8%; Machinery and mechanical equipment (HS 84) at USD 86.71 million and 17.7%; and Motor vehicles and parts (HS 87) at USD 77.32 million and 15.8%. These are broad chapter labels, not a description of every individual product traded.The leading Thai import chapters from Egypt in January–July 2026 (USD) were dominated by Iron and steel (HS 72), at USD 87.13 million and 88.1%. Pharmaceutical products (HS 30) were a much smaller USD 1.26 million, or 1.3%. The remaining leading chapters and both complete top-five tables are shown below.
Leading Thailand–Egypt product chapters, January–July 2026
January–July 2026 · USD · Thailand reporting
Thailand exports to EGYPT
Thailand exports · HS 2022 · January–July 2026 · USD · Calculated by TRCC
Select a chapter to see its top HS4 products.
MOC total and TRCC sum agree — show both figures
- MOC control total
- US$490,299,967.87MOC SummaryCountries
- TRCC sum of all HS2 groups
- US$490,299,967.87All MOC HS2 chapters available for this period and direction
The two values agree within the accepted MOC report precision.
- Prepared meat, seafood and insectsHS 16 · Two-digit commodity code US$96.2M19.6% of all HS2 chapters
- Rubber and rubber articlesHS 40 · Two-digit commodity code US$92.0M18.8% of all HS2 chapters
- Machinery and mechanical equipmentHS 84 · Two-digit commodity code US$86.7M17.7% of all HS2 chapters
- Motor vehicles and partsHS 87 · Two-digit commodity code US$77.3M15.8% of all HS2 chapters
- Wood, wood articles and charcoalHS 44 · Two-digit commodity code US$27.8M5.7% of all HS2 chapters
Thailand exports to EGYPT — exact values and shares · USD
| HS | Product group | USD | Share of all HS2 chapters |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | Prepared meat, seafood and insectsPrepared or preserved meat, fish, crustaceans, molluscs, other aquatic invertebrates, or insects. | 96,186,473.3317 | 19.6% |
| 40 | Rubber and rubber articlesNatural and synthetic rubber, and rubber articles such as tyres, tubes and other rubber goods. | 91,996,896.7017 | 18.8% |
| 84 | Machinery and mechanical equipmentNuclear reactors, boilers, machinery and mechanical appliances, and their parts. | 86,706,506.8898 | 17.7% |
| 87 | Motor vehicles and partsMotor vehicles and other vehicles other than railway or tramway rolling stock, and their parts and accessories. | 77,324,035.3122 | 15.8% |
| 44 | Wood, wood articles and charcoalWood and articles of wood, and wood charcoal. | 27,802,184.0035 | 5.7% |
Thailand imports from EGYPT
Thailand imports · HS 2022 · January–July 2026 · USD · Calculated by TRCC
Select a chapter to see its top HS4 products.
MOC total and TRCC sum agree — show both figures
- MOC control total
- US$98,919,965.73MOC SummaryCountries
- TRCC sum of all HS2 groups
- US$98,919,965.73All MOC HS2 chapters available for this period and direction
The two values agree within the accepted MOC report precision.
- Iron and steelHS 72 · Two-digit commodity code US$87.1M88.1% of all HS2 chapters
- Pharmaceutical productsHS 30 · Two-digit commodity code US$1.3M1.3% of all HS2 chapters
- Non-knitted clothingHS 62 · Two-digit commodity code US$1.1M1.2% of all HS2 chapters
- Fruit and nutsHS 08 · Two-digit commodity code US$1.1M1.2% of all HS2 chapters
- Knitted and crocheted clothingHS 61 · Two-digit commodity code US$854.4K0.9% of all HS2 chapters
Thailand imports from EGYPT — exact values and shares · USD
| HS | Product group | USD | Share of all HS2 chapters |
|---|---|---|---|
| 72 | Iron and steelIron and steel in primary and semi-finished forms. | 87,125,548.0237 | 88.1% |
| 30 | Pharmaceutical productsMedicaments, vaccines, blood products and other pharmaceutical products for medical or veterinary use. | 1,262,060.5187 | 1.3% |
| 62 | Non-knitted clothingApparel and clothing accessories that are not knitted or crocheted. | 1,148,990.9649 | 1.2% |
| 08 | Fruit and nutsFresh, dried or otherwise prepared edible fruit and nuts, and the peel of citrus fruit or melons. | 1,142,901.6477 | 1.2% |
| 61 | Knitted and crocheted clothingKnitted or crocheted apparel and clothing accessories. | 854,448.7954 | 0.9% |
Source: Information and Communication Technology Center with cooperation of the Customs Department (MOC Thailand Trade Report). TRCC statistics for this selection.
Merchandise trade only. Exports include re-exports. Prepared values stay fixed; provisional source data may later be revised. HS 2022. Shares use all HS2 chapters for the same direction, period and currency, not the top-five subtotal.
Method and data notes
Exports include re-exports. Prepared values stay fixed; provisional source data may later be revised.
HS 2022. Shares use all HS2 chapters for the same direction, period and currency, not the top-five subtotal.
Tourism: Egyptian arrivals to Thailand
Tourism is one of the forum’s advertised business areas. TRCC’s published Ministry of Tourism and Sports series records 1,425 arrivals of Egyptian nationals in Thailand in September 2026, compared with 1,650 in September 2025: a decrease of 225 arrivals, or 13.64%.A separate complete-period comparison covers January–May only: 5,668 arrivals in 2026 against 6,579 in 2025, down 911, or 13.85%. A January–September comparison is unavailable because the completeness of June observations is unverified. The January–May figures must not be read as year-to-date totals through September.
These provisional figures count international arrival events by nationality, not unique travellers or necessarily journeys originating in Egypt. They do not measure visitor spending, purpose of travel, tourism revenue or Thai travel to Egypt. For tourism businesses, the useful next step is to test particular customer segments, seasons and distribution partnerships against booking and spending evidence, rather than infer commercial demand from arrival counts alone.
Source: Ministry of Tourism and Sports, Thailand; calculations and published comparisons: TRCC Tourism Statistics, Egypt, September 2026. Source release: 1 October 2026. The tourism and merchandise-trade periods differ and are not combined into one measure.
Questions to take into business discussions
Which exact products and HS codes match the proposed cooperation, and what specifications, certification, labelling and buyer requirements must they meet?What order volumes, shipping routes, lead times and payment terms can each side support? For machinery and automotive products, who will provide installation, maintenance, spare parts and after-sales service?
For steel, which grades, standards and delivery specifications match the buyer’s requirements? What evidence of customer demand, sample approval or trial order would be needed before a longer-term commitment?
For tourism, which traveller segments, seasons and distribution channels would a partnership serve? What booking, visitor-spending and service-capacity evidence supports the proposal? Arrival counts alone do not demonstrate demand for medical tourism or any other specific service.
The forum’s sector themes extend beyond what these statistics can establish. Merchandise values and arrival counts do not measure investment. A theme’s inclusion in the invitation is not proof of demand, financing, regulatory approval or preferential market access.
Data and methodology
Merchandise source: Information and Communication Technology Center with cooperation of the Customs Department, through the Thailand Ministry of Commerce Trade Report and TRCC Trade Statistics. The editorial selection covers calendar years 2021–2025 and January–July 2025/2026. July 2026 is the common country-and-product cutoff verified for this article; it is an explicit selection, not an automatically updating latest view.Exports include re-exports. Product names follow TRCC’s HS 2022 registry. Product shares use the TRCC sum of all HS2 chapters for the same direction, period and currency, not the top-five subtotal; the published MOC controls and TRCC sums agree for this selection. No product-level growth is claimed without comparable published product data. Provisional figures may be revised. Narrative values are rounded to millions; the tables retain source precision. Reported totals and balances are preserved rather than recomputed from rounded components, which may differ by one cent. Trade flows do not identify individual participants or establish that TRCC or its members took part in them.