Deputy Finance Minister Santitarn Sathirathai said the Thai baht’s recent
decline—about 8% from its January five-year high—will support exports and
tourism, two key growth drivers. The move has come amid a stronger US dollar and
after authorities cracked down on gold speculation and eased capital outflow
rules. The baht is among Asia’s worst-performing currencies this year, behind
the Philippine peso, Indian rupee and Indonesian rupiah. Santitarn, a former BOT
rate‑setting committee member (2023–early 2026), said policymakers do not target
a specific exchange rate and have not been forced to use interest-rate
adjustments to counter the currency, a stance he said preserves room to act if
needed.
