Amornthep Warns of Chinese Goods Flooding Thailand and Potential FDI Disruption After Trump Tariffs Nullified

On February 21, 2026, Amornthep Javala, Assistant Managing Director of Research at CIMB Thai Bank, shared insights about the US Supreme Court's decision to block Trump's tariffs. The court's 6-3 ruling determined that President Trump exceeded his authority in imposing comprehensive tariffs under the IEEPA law, stating that tax collection powers belong to Congress. While this initially seems positive for Thai exports, Javala cautions that this marks the beginning of a new wave of economic uncertainty. Key implications include: 1) Temporary relief for Thai exports from potential 19% retaliatory tariffs, 2) Potential new tariff strategies from Trump's team, 3) Potential slowdown in foreign direct investment due to legal ambiguity, and 4) Risk of Chinese goods flooding the ASEAN market, particularly Thailand. Javala recommends that Thailand urgently diversify its market strategies and closely monitor incoming Chinese products to mitigate potential economic disruptions.