BANGKOK, Thailand – Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Pichai Chunhawat expressed optimism after the United States Trade Representative (USTR) officially agreed to negotiate import tariffs with Thailand. The US recently imposed a 36% import tariff on Thai goods amid ongoing trade discussions between the two countries.
Thailand has proposed a five-point agenda aimed at reducing the US trade surplus with Thailand by half within five years. The key points include:
- Strengthening economic partnerships, especially in processed industries and digital technology, while addressing tariff and non-tariff trade barriers.
- Increasing imports from the US, focusing on energy products (crude oil, LNG, ethane), agricultural goods (corn, soybeans, beef), aircraft and components, and defense equipment.
- Expanding Thai agricultural exports to the US, particularly fruits and animal feed corn.
- Enforcing rules of origin laws to prevent false claims of Thai origin.
- Promoting Thai investment in the US, with leading Thai businesses participating in the Select USA Investment Summit 2025.
The Thai government hopes these negotiations will reduce the impact of US tariff policies, which target countries with trade surpluses, including Thailand. The talks aim to balance trade relations and strengthen bilateral ties between Thailand and the US. (TNA)
