BANGKOK, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's economy is projected to expand 2 percent in 2026, unchanged from the previous forecast, driven by domestic consumption and tourism amid a slowing export growth, the Ministry of Finance said on Tuesday.

Exports, a key driver of the Southeast Asian country's economic growth, are expected to increase 1.0 percent this year, an upward revision from a 1.5 percent fall estimated earlier, the ministry said in a statement.

The slowdown in shipments would be in line with global trade trends and the high base effect from 2025, which recorded a 12.9 percent surge in export value, said Vinit Visessuvanapoom, director general of the ministry's Fiscal Policy Office.

Tourism is expected to serve as the key engine in 2026, with foreign arrivals anticipated at a high level of 35.5 million, supporting a strong recovery in service-sector income, Vinit told a news conference.

For the whole of 2025, the Thai economy is estimated to have grown at 2.2 percent, supported by government stimulus measures and stronger-than-expected exports during the final quarter of the year, Vinit said.

The official also said key risk factors in the future include volatility in global trade, financial vulnerabilities among households and SMEs with high debt levels, and policy stability during political transitions. ■