Thai officials tap Thaksin for Trump tariff strategy talks
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Thai DPM Pichai Chunhavajira invited former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra to join a meeting to discuss the looming trade challenge.
PHOTOS: REUTERS
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BANGKOK - Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister invited former premier Thaksin Shinawatra to a high-level meeting as Bangkok prepares for looming US import duties.
Thai authorities are scrambling to formulate a response after the United States confirmed it would impose a 36 per cent import tariff on Thai goods starting Aug 1, 2025.
In a significant move, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira revealed on July 11 that he invited former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra to join a “team Thailand” meeting to discuss the looming trade challenge.
The high-stakes meeting at Phitsanulok House, which lasted approximately three hours, included advisers to the current prime minister, as well as ministers and permanent secretaries from the ministries of commerce, foreign affairs, agriculture and cooperatives, and industry.
Its primary objective was to strategise how to address Washington’s confirmed tariff hike.
Mr Pichai stated that while a final agreement with the US has not yet been reached, US President Donald Trump’s letter effectively grants Thailand an extension to review new proposals until the Aug 1 deadline.
Discussions on July 11, he explained, aimed to gather detailed information from various sectors.
Following consultations with the private sector on July 10, on the anticipated impacts and mitigation measures, Mr Pichai expects a clearer conclusion on supporting strategies for affected industries by July 14.
The discussions yielded a consensus on key negotiation approaches with the United States.
Firstly, any import of US goods must not detrimentally affect domestic producers, particularly in the agricultural and small-scale industrial sectors.
Secondly, while some US products might need to be imported, strict oversight will be maintained to prevent undesirable items from entering the country, simultaneously boosting import and export efficiency.
“We’ve discussed various supporting and assistance measures that will be rolled out,” Mr Pichai added. “We’ll now delve into the specifics, as we already have the general principles for how to handle the agricultural sector and small-scale industries.”
The Thai government has already submitted additional proposals to the US.
Mr Pichai affirmed that Thailand is “on the right track” and will now re-examine the details on a product-by-product basis. While he believes any further proposals would be minor, he is prepared to travel for negotiations if necessary.
When questioned about the former premier’s presence, Mr Pichai confirmed he personally extended the invitation, citing Thaksin’s extensive knowledge on such matters as potentially offering valuable insights. THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
