Thailand and the United States have launched their first round of technical negotiations on tariffs, with the US reportedly adopting a flexible and cooperative stance. Despite this flexibility, the US maintains certain “red line” issues, though it is open to adjusting wording for clarity without changing the core requirements.
Key topics like Regional Value Content (RVC) remain on hold, as the US plans to develop a unified standard for all trading partners to streamline regulations. The US Customs and Border Protection will finalize these internal rules before sharing them with other countries.
The negotiations involve multiple government agencies from both sides and focus on over a hundred detailed articles. A Thai Commerce Ministry source indicated that the US is seeking to understand Thailand’s concerns and work together to find solutions. The process is ongoing, with no fixed chairperson; instead, the lead on each issue is taken by the relevant Thai department head.
While the US has shown a degree of flexibility, Thailand still faces risks, especially for “at-risk” products. Though the risk has decreased from 36% to 19%, exporters will face higher fees, potentially raising prices in the US and impacting consumer purchasing power—an issue current among all US trading partners.