Thailand may seek US tariff refunds if court scraps levies

Thailand is prepared to pursue refunds on US import duties if the US Supreme Court rules that President Donald Trump’s “reciprocal” tariffs were imposed unlawfully, Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun said.

She was referring to a pending Supreme Court decision on the legality of Trump’s sweeping tariffs imposed under emergency powers, after lower courts found he exceeded his authority. The court is expected to issue rulings on 14 January 2026.

Suphajee said that if the tariffs are struck down, US import rates would revert to their previous levels, prompting Thailand to consider requesting refunds for duties paid on Thai exports entering the US.

However, she cautioned that Washington could still deploy alternative tools, including product-specific tariffs under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act, which allows import restrictions on national-security grounds and typically applies to specific sectors or product lists. She said this could limit the impact on Thailand compared with blanket tariffs, because only certain items would be affected.

If the Supreme Court allows the emergency tariffs to continue, Suphajee said Thailand would press ahead with ongoing technical-level discussions with the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR). She added that concerns over the Thailand–Cambodia border situation should not affect the tariff track, describing the issues as separate.

She also pointed to other Southeast Asian countries that have already concluded reciprocal trade arrangements with the US, including Malaysia and Cambodia, while Indonesia remains in negotiations.