Thailand's thermal coal (incl. bituminous and sub-bituminous coal) imports in August 2026 rebounded the second-highest level so far this year, which surged 99.99% from a month ago to 2.41 million tonnes, according to the latest customs data.

The volume was also 39.56% higher than the year-ago 1.73 million tonnes, data showed.

Bituminous coal imports amounted to 1.29 million tonnes in August, soaring 74.55% compared to the level in August 2025 and 189.98% from the preceding month. Most of the imports were from Australia at 1.03 million tonnes, growing 79.01% from a year ago. The U.S. shipped 202,775 tonnes of Bituminous coal to Thailand last month, far higher than only three tonnes a year earlier.

Sub-bituminous coal imports totaled 1.12 million tonnes during the same month, rising 13.30% year on year and 47.18% month on month. Indonesia remained the largest supplier, shipping 1.12 million tonnes to Thailand, up 13.40% from a year earlier.

Additionally, anthracite imports were 6,528 tonnes, sliding 83.25% on the year but rising 17.73 from July. In August, the country did not import coking coal.

In the first eight months this year, Thailand imported 14.17 million tonnes of thermal coal, up 13.13% on the year. Of this, bituminous coal imports totaled 5.27 million tonnes, gaining 16.37% year on year, while sub-bituminous coal imports reached 8.89 million tonnes, climbing 11.29% compared to the same period last year.

In January-July, Thailand consumed 13.22 million tonnes of coal (incl. lignite), down 26.6% year on year. Of this, power plant consumed 6.76 million tonnes, retreating 40.3% on the year and accounting for 51.1% of the country's total, according to data from the Energy Policy and Planning Office.