Thailand forms US tariff response team, eyes 3 FTA deals in 2026
Bangkok is preparing written submissions to Washington by April 15 while pushing to wrap up trade talks with the EU, South Korea and ASEAN-Canada.
- Thailand's Commerce Ministry has formed a special task force to manage the impact of US tariffs, particularly addressing a 10% tariff and Section 301 investigations into issues like forced labor.
- As part of its 2026 trade agenda, the country plans to finalize three major Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations to expand market access for its exporters.
- The three key FTA deals targeted for completion are with the European Union (EU), South Korea, and the ASEAN-Canada bloc.
Thailand’s trade agenda this year is not only about opening new markets, but also about coping at the same time with pressure from US trade measures.
Most recently, Chotima Iemsawasdikul, director-general of the Department of Trade Negotiations, said Thailand continued to hold trade tariff talks with the United States.
This follows three years of joint work that led to a joint statement in October last year.
At present, negotiations are focused on the details of the agreement, as the United States is maintaining a 10% tariff measure under Section 122, which is due to expire in July.
“We remain in regular contact with the USTR during this period. Although the United States faces staffing constraints and has to handle several issues at once, including the Section 301 investigations and negotiations with many countries, it is expected that before July, the United States will try to conclude discussions with various countries, which may then be followed by announcements on tariff rates or other measures.”
Beyond the 10% tariff, the bigger challenge facing Thailand is the Section 301 investigations, a trade instrument previously used against China.
Thailand is being examined in two key areas: structural excess capacity and goods linked to forced labour.
As a result, the Commerce Ministry has set up a “task force to prepare for the impact of US tariffs”, chaired by the permanent secretary, to study the matter and draw up recommendations with the private sector, including ways to prepare for the tariff impact, discuss solutions and protect Thailand’s interests.
“The most urgent task right now is that Thailand must submit written comments through the US investigation system by April 15, 2026, to explain its position and systematically defend Thailand’s interests.”
Regarding rumours that Malaysia had cancelled its deal with the United States, she said this was not true.
According to her, the issue stemmed merely from a communication error.
Malaysia had only been affected by a court ruling that lowered some tariffs to 10%, the same level as Thailand, while other agreements continued to move forward as usual.
At the same time, in 2026, the department plans to push aggressively into global markets, especially in the second half of the year, by accelerating pending FTA negotiations towards full conclusion.
The main goal is to “close deals” with three key partners: Thailand-EU, Thailand-South Korea and ASEAN-Canada.
It has set a clear target of completing all negotiations within this year in order to create an advantage and spread risk for Thai exporters.
“In 2026, the department will accelerate the conclusion of key outstanding FTAs, namely Thailand-EU, Thailand-South Korea and ASEAN-Canada, to wrap them up within this year. It will also push ahead with the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) to elevate the region into a digital trade hub.”
Besides those three FTAs, Thailand is also preparing to close a historic deal in the form of the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA), which would be the first of its kind in the world.
It is scheduled to be signed jointly in November 2026 during the ASEAN Summit in the Philippines, to fully transform Thai trade into the digital era.
