Supachai closes US tax deal before Section 301 investigation results, confident Thailand's total import tariffs will not exceed 19%.
On 1 Sep 2026 GMT+7, Supachai Sutthumpan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce, revealed after talks with US Trade Representative Jameson Greer in Washington, D.C., that both parties have reached a substantive conclusion on the Thailand–US Alternative Reciprocal Tariff (ART) agreement. This was achieved ahead of the US announcement next week on the Section 301 investigation into structural excess capacity.
Supachai stated that this ART agreement will limit Thailand's total import tariffs—including those related to forced labor (12.5%) and excess capacity—to no more than 19%. This will help preserve the competitiveness of Thai goods in the US, Thailand's largest export market valued at over 2.37 trillion baht, and protect over 400,000 jobs domestically.
Previously, Thailand faced retaliatory tariffs as high as 36% due to trade surplus concerns, but negotiations under the ART framework have reduced this to 19%. Thailand has agreed to increase imports of agricultural products, energy, aircraft, and investments into the US. This technical-level deal has significantly boosted investor confidence in Thailand.