The Deputy Government Spokesperson has clarified that the United States has adjusted tariffs on Thai goods by a net increase of 2.5 percentage points, placing Thailand at the same level as its major competitor countries, and has reiterated that over 2,120 product lines are exempt. The government is pressing ahead with ART negotiations and is looking after exporters.
Today (25 July 2026), Ms. Lalida Phoertwiwattana, Deputy Spokesperson of the Prime Minister's Office, made a disclosure regarding the United States' announcement of adjusted import tariff rates on goods from Thailand under Section 301, stating that the government wishes to clarify the facts so that business operators and the public share a common understanding. The tariff rate, which takes effect from 24 July 2026, is an adjustment from the existing base rate of 10% to 12.5% — a net increase of 2.5 percentage points — and is not a wholly new imposition of an additional 12.5% tariff. She further emphasized that this rate is on a par with that applied to several of Thailand's key competitor countries, and therefore does not significantly affect the competitiveness of Thai goods in the US market.
The Deputy Spokesperson of the Prime Minister's Office said that, based on monitoring of information in conjunction with relevant agencies, it has been found that over 2,120 Thai export product lines are exempt from the said tariff measure, covering several important product categories such as integrated circuits, natural rubber, and tapioca starch. The exempted product lines account for more than half of the value of Thailand's exports to the United States. Nevertheless, the impact on individual business operators may vary depending on tariff classification, product type, supply chain, and US import conditions, and it should therefore not be interpreted that all types of Thai goods will be unaffected.
"The government understands the concerns of exporters, especially small and medium-sized business operators, but asks that the facts be considered on a product-by-product basis and that there be no panic over headline figures alone. This measure is a net increase of 2.5 percentage points from the existing base rate — it is not a wholly new additional charge of 12.5%. At the same time, over 2,120 Thai product lines are exempt from this measure," Ms. Lalida said.
"Our major competitor countries, including China, Vietnam, and the Philippines, are also being charged at a rate of 12.5%, so this does not significantly affect the competitiveness of Thai goods exported to the United States. Furthermore, more than half of the value of Thailand's exports to the US is not subject to additional tariffs. The government will use data broken down by product group and level of impact in order to design targeted assistance measures, rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach across all groups of business operators," the Deputy Spokesperson of the Prime Minister's Office said.
The Deputy Spokesperson of the Prime Minister's Office added that the government and the Ministry of Commerce are in the process of pressing ahead with negotiations on the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) in order to maintain competitiveness and protect the long-term interests of Thai business operators, alongside assessing the impact and preparing appropriate assistance approaches for each product group, with no timeline yet set for when the negotiations will reach a conclusion.
At the same time, the government is closely monitoring the US investigation into Structural Excess Capacity, which covers several countries including Thailand, as that process has not yet reached a conclusion and may affect trade conditions going forward. Relevant agencies are in the process of compiling data on the manufacturing, export, and supply chain sectors in order to prepare to present arguments and protect the country's interests on the basis of verifiable data.
"The government's approach is to communicate information straightforwardly, to clearly distinguish between what has already come into force and what is still under negotiation or under investigation, and to support business operators according to the actual level of impact they experience. The government will not underestimate the situation, but will not create panic beyond the facts, and will work closely with the private sector to maintain the US market while simultaneously expanding alternative export markets and enhancing the competitiveness of Thai goods," Ms. Lalida said.
