13.02.202602:05:43UTC+00Thai Baht Nears Four-Year Peak

The Thai baht traded around 31 per dollar in mid-February, hovering near its strongest level since March 2021, as market sentiment improved following the Bhumjaithai Party’s election victory. Investors view Anutin’s decisive win as a potential end to Thailand’s extended period of fragile coalition governments, which had been weighing on economic growth and causing local markets to trail regional peers. The party has pledged to streamline regulations to attract foreign investment, maintain targeted consumer subsidies, and uphold fiscal discipline by narrowing the budget deficit. The result also brightened the outlook for political stability after the country saw three prime ministers in three years. In the three days following the election, the baht outperformed other regional currencies, helped in part by this year’s rise in gold prices—a key driver in Thailand, where substantial household holdings give the metal significant influence over local assets.