Bangkok (VNA) - Thailand plans to reform its import duty structure and non-trade barriers as it prepares for talks with the US to lessen the impact of a 36% tariff on its exports, according to Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira.
Pichai is preparing to travel to Washington DC with a delegation to negotiate with the US Trade Representative (USTR) after finalising measures to propose for the US to consider.
He said on April 8 that any measures Thailand negotiates in talks with the country must be practical and feasible.
The Office of the USTR in a report last month listed high barriers of trade with Thailand, including lax intellectual property protection, sanitary and phytosanitary curbs, import licensing rules and incentive systems for customs officials as major irritants.
Pichai said that an April 8 meeting determined five approaches to reforms: namely finding ways to balance trade between the two countries; reducing or eliminating the barriers facing 100 items imported from the US that are subject to low import taxes; addressing non-tariff issues, which are a priority for the US; apply stricter control measures when issuing certificates of origin; and purchasing natural gas from the US./.
Thailand to negotiate with US on tariffs
Thailand is on the list of 15 countries that could be affected by Trump’s tariff policy. The average US tariff on Thai imports is 2% while Thailand levies an average tariff of 8% on US products
