BANGKOK, Thailand – The Department of Foreign Trade (DFT) reported agricultural trade of 48.52 billion baht in the first nine months of 2026, while border and transit trade reached 1.76 trillion baht, up 18% year over year. The department is now preparing measures to expand international trade opportunities, support local businesses, and improve export services in 2027.
DFT Director-General Arada Fuangtong recently discussed efforts to promote Thai rice, cassava, and innovative agricultural products in overseas markets, improve trade standards, and encourage businesses to take advantage of free trade agreements (FTAs).
In 2027, the DFT plans to explore new agricultural markets, prepare for upcoming FTAs with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) and Bhutan, and host the World Tapioca Conference and Thailand Rice Convention. The department will also organize border trade fairs in six provinces to support local businesses and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), while encouraging environmentally friendly trade and sustainable growth.
The DFT also plans to expand its use of artificial intelligence for product origin verification, trade investigations, and export data analysis, aiming to issue 1.4 million export-import certificates electronically in 2027 to improve public services, reduce administrative procedures, and facilitate trade. (NNT)
