"Supachairevealed that Thailand is continuing negotiations on the US retaliatory tax agreement, aiming to conclude talks by July. She noted the US allows Thailand to submit lists of products for potential tax exemption consideration or other proposals as desired.but whether the requests will be granted depends on the negotiations.She emphasized that although Indonesia and Malaysia have closed their deals, Thailand can still compete under the 19% retaliatory tax.
Ms. Supachai Suthumphand, Minister of Commerce, revealed progress on the negotiations of the Thailand-US retaliatory tax agreement (ART Text). She said Thailand is still negotiating continuously with the US to reach conclusions on each issue, with many areas where the two sides have differing demands or expectations. Some issues require policy-level or government approval. The timeline to complete negotiations depends on Thailand’s government formation, but both sides hope to reach an agreement soon.
“Most recently, on 12 Feb 2026, Thailand and the US held discussions at the director-general level. The US expressed congratulations on Thailand’s successful election and expects the new government formation to proceed on schedule. The Ministry of Commerce plans to expedite negotiations to reach a mutually beneficial conclusion by July,” she said.
Furthermore, the US has no objection if Thailand submits proposals listing products torequest exemption from retaliatory tariffsunder Annex 3 of Executive Order No. 14346, issued on 5 Sep 2025. The US also does not object if Thailand submits other proposals for consideration before finalizing the negotiations. However, whether Thailand’s requests are accepted depends primarily on the negotiation outcomes.
However, submitting product lists for retaliatory tariff exemption does not mean immediate benefits from the US. The US sets varying conditions depending on the negotiations. For example, Malaysia, which has completed negotiations, will only receive exemption rights 60days after implementation,when the ART Text is legally effective in Malaysia and Malaysia has notified the US. Thus, currently, Malaysian exports to the US under Annex 3 still face normal retaliatory tariffs.
Ms. Supachai added regarding Indonesia and the US completing ART Text negotiations and preparing to sign before enforcement, whether this disadvantages Thailand: Considering the retaliatory tariff rate the US imposes on Thailand at 19%, Thailand remains on equal footing with other ASEAN countries.
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