Thailand's industrial sentiment index rose to 85.1 in February, up from a six-month low of 83.5 in January, the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) said Thursday.

The rebound came amid improving demand both in Thailand and abroad as well as the Thai government's economic stimulus measures and relaxation on COVID-19 control measures, said FTI chairman Supant Mongkolsuthree.

Contributing factors also included the recovery of the global economy following the distribution of the COVID-19 vaccines, Supant said.

Index forecast for the next three months rose to 92 from 91.1 in January as entrepreneurs' confidence was lifted by the government's stimulus measures and the roll-out of vaccination in the country, he said.

However, manufacturers still faced shipping container shortages and higher freight rates, resulting in rising freight costs, he said.

Supant advised the government to accelerate vaccination roll-out as planned especially to high-risk groups, continue to unveil relief schemes and ensure the supply of shipping containers for exporters.