The Prime Minister will visit Indonesia on 3–4 August to sign the Thailand–Indonesia Strategic Partnership and has ordered preparations to address US tax measures following a 12.5% tariff imposition.
On 27 July 2026 at Government House, Ms. Lalida Pertviwatana, Deputy Spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, announced that Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul stated before the Cabinet meeting that he will officially visit the Republic of Indonesia from 3–4 August 2026. The Cabinet approved the draft Thailand–Indonesia Strategic Partnership Plan for 2026–2030, covering cooperation in security, economy, and culture, with a signing ceremony by the foreign ministers of both countries during this visit.
The Prime Minister assigned all related agencies to fully support the preparations and to promptly submit issues, obstacles, and proposals for elevating discussions to the leadership level, so the Ministry of Foreign Affairs can formulate a unified Thai position.
Additionally, Anutin addressed the US announcement of Section 301 tariffs on over 60 trading partner countries, with Thailand subject to a 12.5% tariff. He emphasized that agencies should not focus solely on the tariff rate but must urgently address risk factors highlighted by the US, especially forced labor and excess production capacity, which could be used to justify further trade measures against Thailand in the future.
The Prime Minister ordered the Ministry of Labor, in coordination with the Ministry of Commerce and relevant agencies, to strictly enforce laws and regulations, compile a list of high-risk products and industries, and develop certification and traceability systems to confirm that Thai products throughout the supply chain do not involve forced labor. This evidence will support negotiations with the US and other trading partners.
Regarding excess production capacity, Anutin tasked the Ministry of Commerce as the lead agency to collaborate with the Ministry of Industry, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Customs Department, and related bodies to compile a list of at-risk products, assess production capacity, inventory levels, government subsidies, product origins, and risks of misuse or using Thailand as a transit point to circumvent trade measures.
The Prime Minister stressed that assistance to businesses should focus on increasing productivity, reducing costs, developing technology, and enhancing product value rather than supporting production capacity expansion beyond market demand. He also instructed all agencies to systematically prepare response measures with clear responsibilities and timelines to mitigate export impacts and support negotiations with the US.