Thailand, EU Tackle Trade Fraud to Protect $53B Market
Thailand and the EU are strengthening cooperation to combat trade fraud and origin manipulation, protecting their $53 billion bilateral trade relationship through shared anti-fraud technologies and best practices.
Thailand's Department of Foreign Trade is strengthening cooperation with the European Union to combat trade circumvention and fraudulent origin claims of Thai goods. A Thai delegation participated in a cooperation meeting in Spain from June 28 to July 4, 2025, alongside key EU and Spanish government agencies. The discussions focused on exchanging knowledge and best practices regarding anti-circumvention measures, anti-origin fraud prevention, and rules of origin verification—mechanisms critical to building transparency and confidence in the international trade system.
The Thai delegation held in-depth discussions with EU experts on investigating cases involving anti-dumping and anti-subsidy measures, as well as fact-checking procedures for complaints and customs tax fraud prevention. A major focus was the application of digital technology and artificial intelligence to enhance trade oversight. The EU's Office for Anti-Fraud (OLAF) presented its Data Analytics Platform and Anti-Fraud Information System (AFIS), which analyze and cross-reference customs data to detect anomalies such as false origin declarations, undervalued goods, and tariff code manipulation to evade duties.
According to Arada Fuengtong, Director-General of the Department of Foreign Trade, these approaches represent important models that Thailand can adapt to develop its own risk management and origin verification systems, aimed at preventing fraudulent claims of Thai goods and reducing vulnerability to foreign trade measures. She stated that this cooperation aligns with the Commerce Ministry's policy of elevating international trade oversight standards while facilitating legitimate trade, balancing protection against unfair trade practices with promotion of transparent and fair free trade.
The EU is Thailand's fourth-largest trading partner, after China, the United States, and Japan. In 2024, bilateral trade was valued at $53.3 billion, while the first quarter of 2025 saw trade worth $12.22 billion, a 20.14% increase year-on-year, underscoring the European market's critical importance to Thai exporters. Businesses must strictly comply with rules of origin regulations to maintain the credibility and competitiveness of Thai goods in global markets.
