Declining car production is one of the key drags on the Manufacturing Production Index last month. (Photo: Federation of Thai Industries)

Thailand's manufacturing production index dropped 3.1% in ​June from a ‌year earlier, the Industry Ministry said on Monday, weaker than analysts' forecasts.The June reading compared with a forecast increase of ​0.2% in a ⁠Reuters poll. The May reading was revised to a fall of 1.3% from an original ‌figure of a 0.8% drop.

The main drags on the MPI were weaker automobile and petroleum production, ⁠while tensions in the Middle East added pressure from volatile energy and freight costs, the ministry said.

Car production dropped 7.55% in June from a ​year earlier, according to the Federation of Thai Industries.

Palm oil production also ​fell ‌33.2% year-on-year, Supakit Boonsiri, head of the ministry's industrial economics office, told a briefing.