Thailand faces a crisis in the Strait of Hormuz - exports at risk

The situation in the Strait of Hormuz represents one of the biggest challenges for maritime transportation and international trade. Thailand, as one of the leading exporters in the world, is facing serious consequences from this crisis. The Strait of Hormuz, through which a significant percentage of the world’s oil and goods trade passes, is becoming increasingly unstable, directly impacting the logistics industry and the export sector.

Dramatic Increase in Transportation Costs

The cost of transporting 40-foot containers has risen sharply — according to Jin10 data, costs have increased from $3,500 to $7,000 per container. This 100 percent increase highlights the scale of the problems faced by shipping companies and export businesses. Doubling transportation costs poses a serious burden on the profitability of trade transactions, especially for countries heavily dependent on maritime trade routes.

Multi-billion Baht Losses for Thailand’s Export Sector

Monthly losses in Thailand’s export sector amount to approximately 33.3 billion baht. Additionally, another 32 billion baht worth of goods are stuck in transit and cannot reach recipients. Overall, Thailand’s transportation and export sectors are losing over 65 billion baht at this stage of the crisis. This scale of losses demonstrates how directly international turmoil impacts the local economy.

Global Trade Routes Under Pressure

The situation in Thailand illustrates a broader reality of global trade routes. The crisis in the Strait of Hormuz is not limited to transportation alone — it reveals the deep vulnerability of the entire international trade system. Logistical chokepoints in the region have a direct impact on exporters worldwide, especially in Southeast Asian countries that heavily rely on these routes. For Thailand, a country with a highly developed maritime transport and logistics sector, this situation serves as a test of the entire industry’s resilience to geopolitical shocks.