Thailand Aims to Seal US Trade Deal Before Tariff Decision
Thailand's commerce minister is racing to finalize a reciprocal trade agreement with the US before American tariff decisions are announced, with bilateral negotiations set for late September in Manila and New York.
Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthammapun has announced progress on her travel to the Philippines for the 58th ASEAN Economic Ministers Meeting on 19–20 September in Manila. The meeting will include signing the first protocol to amend the ASEAN-Hong Kong Investment Agreement and bilateral talks with the US Trade Representative to advance the Reciprocal Trade Agreement (ART). Both sides outlined the negotiating framework during Suphajee's earlier visit to Washington, DC in early September, and must now verify that all details and language align precisely.
Suphajee also disclosed that on 21 September she will join the Prime Minister's delegation to Japan to discuss with Thai teams there how to drive forward economic and trade work, including leveraging shared cooperation frameworks.
The delegation will also accompany the Prime Minister to New York to meet with US officials and major American private sector representatives. The goal is to announce the trade agreement results before the United States releases its Section 301 investigation findings on structural excess production capacity, an initial non-binding determination expected shortly.
"We are committed to finalizing all details so we can maintain the tariff rates within the framework we agreed to last year," the Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister said.
