BANGKOK, Thailand – Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira defended the presence of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra at a high-level policy meeting at Ban Phitsanulok, saying Thaksin was invited to offer his insights due to his strong understanding of trade issues. The meeting aimed to finalize Thailand’s response to the United States’ proposed 36% import tariff, recently announced in a letter by former President Donald Trump.
Pichai emphasized that Thailand is still within the negotiation window, which runs until August 1. He said the meeting, which lasted about three hours, gathered ministers, economic advisers, and representatives from major industry groups to prepare detailed impact assessments and draft mitigation strategies.
Thailand is considering increasing imports from the U.S. as part of its response, but Pichai insisted that any move must avoid harming local producers, including farmers and small manufacturers. The Thai side also hopes to ensure that any final tariff rate imposed does not exceed that of key competitors such as Vietnam, which reportedly faces a 20% rate.
The discussion also included plans for how to manage sensitive goods, improve customs efficiency, and deliver support to affected sectors. Thailand had already submitted a tariff mitigation proposal on July 6 and is now refining its position by product category. Pichai said further information may be submitted soon, depending on continued dialogue with U.S. officials.
When asked if Thailand had a specific target tariff rate, Pichai declined to name a number but said the country would not accept a rate that puts it at a disadvantage.
