Asst. Prof. Dr. Nuttapon Nimmanphatcharin, President/CEO of Digital Economy Promotion Agency (depa) stated that U.S. President Donald Trump has announced the implementation of a Reciprocal Tariff policy. This measure imposes a 10% baseline import tariff on all goods from all countries. However, countries with a trade surplus with the U.S. will be subjected to higher tariff rates, with Thailand facing a 36% import duty. The measure, which came into effect on April 9, is seen as a strategic move to observe the reactions of U.S. trading partners. While acknowledging that this policy could impact Thailand's GDP, Asst. Prof. Dr. Nuttapon emphasized that the effects would not be immediate. This aligns with a recent U.S. announcement to temporarily reduce import tariffs for most trading partners to 10% for 90 days, allowing room for trade negotiations. This adjustment takes effect immediately, except for China, whose import tariff has been raised to 125%.
Asst. Prof. Dr. Nuttapon further stated that Thailand must take proactive measures in various areas, including seeking alternative markets to replace the U.S., transitioning to a high-value economy, and establishing export channels for businesses—particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and micro-entrepreneurs. By doing so, Thailand will increase export revenues, distribute economic benefits to the grassroots level, and create new business opportunities. Additionally, the country is advancing the PromptTrade platform, a digital international trade system, to enhance global trade efficiency.
Source: Triple Eight Ideas