Bangkok: Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, a former Minister to the Prime Minister's Office and current Deputy Leader and MP of the Ruam Thai Sang Chart Party, expressed optimism regarding the recent meeting between Sarath Ratanavadi, CEO of Gulf Development, and President Donald Trump. Thanakorn believes this engagement could lead to a de-escalation of tax tensions and has advised the government to meticulously strategize its negotiation tactics. He emphasized the urgency of accelerating support measures for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the export sectors.
According to Thai News Agency, Thanakorn highlighted the importance of collaboration among the government, private, and political sectors to mitigate the impact of US import tax measures introduced by President Trump. He had previously suggested that both former Prime Minister and senior private sector executives work together to devise negotiation strategies to reduce the adverse effects of the tax increase. Thanakorn underscored the significance of Sarath Ratanavadi's invitation to a dinner in Qatar with President Trump, hosted by Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar, as a promising development for Thailand's economic relations with the United States.
In addressing domestic and international economic challenges, Thanakorn called upon Prime Minister Paethongtarn Shinawatra and her economic team to establish long-term measures to support SMEs struggling with various issues. He advised that the government should gather insights from all stakeholders, especially SMEs, to craft a comprehensive negotiation framework for upcoming discussions on US import taxes with Trump. Thanakorn also saw the meeting as an opportunity to deepen economic ties with the United States.
Thanakorn expressed confidence that Sarath's meeting with Trump presents a favorable opportunity for Thailand to gain clarity on reducing tariffs. He believes that cooperation between the private sector, government, and opposition parties, supplemented by public sector information, will foster unity in addressing the economic challenges on both national and global fronts.