Bangkok: "Supajee" is accelerating negotiations with ART (Article Reform Commission) and the US, hoping for a quick conclusion to maintain Thailand's competitiveness. Supajee revealed that discussions with high-level U.S. representatives went well, with both sides agreeing to continue negotiations on the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART).
According to Thai News Agency, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce, Supajee Suthamphan, revealed after bilateral discussions with high-ranking U.S. representatives in Washington, D.C., including White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, and U.S. Deputy Trade Representative Rick Switzer, that the main objective of the trip was to accelerate progress in the ART negotiations, along with following up on the Section 301 investigation and strengthening trade and investment cooperation between the two countries.
The atmosphere of the discussions was positive, with Thailand expressing congratulations on the 250th anniversary of the United States' Declaration of Independence, reiterating Thailand's role as a reliable ally in Southeast Asia, and reaffirming its commitment to pushing for a successful outcome in the ART negotiations.
Thailand reported on the progress of the negotiations, stating that it had fully considered and demonstrated flexibility towards the US proposals within the legal framework and government policy. The US side thanked Thailand for its clear intention to expedite the conclusion of the negotiations and commended Thailand's efforts in rebalancing trade between the two countries. However, the US still needs time to consider Thailand's proposals further in order to bridge the gaps on remaining points of disagreement and will expedite further discussions in the next phase.
Ms. Supajee stated that Thailand continues to negotiate on the basis of mutual benefit, using investment issues and increasing imports of goods that Thailand needs from the United States, as agreed upon in the joint statement of July 2025, as part of the approach to reducing trade imbalances. She emphasized that each country has different legal, policy, and economic limitations, therefore, the same criteria cannot be used to evaluate the results of the negotiations, but rather the ultimate outcome should be considered as mutually beneficial to both sides.
During the discussions, Thailand also followed up on the progress of the U.S. investigation under Section 301, which currently concerns two issues: structural overcapacity and the failure to prohibit imports of goods produced under forced labor. The U.S. side stated that they are still reviewing the final investigation results and will use them to inform future tariff measures.
Ms. Supajee stated that although negotiations on some issues remain challenging and will take time, Thailand will proceed fully within the framework of national laws, international standards, and the public interest, in order to obtain appropriate and competitive tariff rates, similar to other countries that have already reached ART agreements. The US side acknowledged Thailand's intentions and will consider Thailand's latest proposals on each issue in order to jointly push for a speedy conclusion to the negotiations.
The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce stated that the discussions with high-level U.S. representatives reflected Thailand's intention to advance Thai-U.S. relations in all dimensions, including trade, investment, and ART negotiations, in order to safeguard the country's best interests.
For the year 2025, the United States is Thailand's second-largest trading partner, with a total trade value of US$93,651.36 million. Thailand exported US$72,506.39 million to the United States and imported US$21,144.98 million from the United States, resulting in a trade surplus of US$51,361.41 million for Thailand.