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Supachai Meets USTR to Accelerate ART Deal, Reduce US Tariff Risk

Supachai Meets USTR to Accelerate ART Deal, Reduce US Tariff Risk

Prachachat•Economy•9d ago

Reader Briefing

Thailand and the US are accelerating trade negotiations for the ART agreement to mitigate US tariff risks and enhance bilateral economic ties.

  • •Thai Deputy Prime Minister Supachai Suthumpun met with US Trade Representative officials to push for the swift conclusion of the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART).
  • •The US expressed openness to exempting certain Thai goods produced domestically and encouraged increased Thai investment in the US supply chain.
  • •A Thai delegation will visit the US from May 13-14, 2026 to clarify issues related to Section 301 investigations.
  • •Bilateral trade in 2025 reached over $93.6 billion, with Thailand holding a trade surplus, making trade balance a focus.

Overview

  • •On May 4, 2026, Deputy Prime Minister Supachai Suthumpun met with US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and Deputy US Trade Representative Rick Switzer.
  • •Deputy Prime Minister Supachai Suthumpun discussed accelerating the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) negotiations with US officials.
  • •Supachai Suthumpun stated that the discussions reflected a shared will to expedite the ART agreement for economic and investment confidence.
  • •The ART negotiations aim to reduce the risk of US trade measures and balance trade with key partners.
  • •A Thai delegation will visit the US from May 13-14, 2026, to clarify issues with the USTR regarding Section 301 investigations.
  • •The US side expressed openness to consider tariff exemptions for Thai goods that cannot be produced domestically.
  • •For 2025, US-Thailand bilateral trade was $93,651.36 million, with Thailand holding a $51,361.41 million trade surplus.
  • •During the visit, Supachai Suthumpun also discussed economic cooperation and supply chain enhancement with US Senator Tammy Duckworth.

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Source: Prachachat (Original)

Key Quotes

Supachai Suthumpun
"The discussion was constructive, reflecting the shared will of Thailand and the US to accelerate negotiations on the Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) to achieve progress and conclude it quickly."
การหารือเป็นไปอย่างสร้างสรรค์ และสะท้อนเจตนารมณ์ร่วมกันของไทยและสหรัฐฯ ในการเร่งผลักดันการเจรจาความตกลงการค้าต่างตอบแทน หรือ Agreement on Reciprocal Trade (ART) ให้มีความคืบหน้าและสามารถสรุปผลได้โดยเร็ว
Supachai Suthumpun
"The US side emphasizes balancing trade and offers Thailand opportunities to act proactively by expanding investment in the US."
ฝ่ายสหรัฐฯ ให้ความสำคัญกับการปรับสมดุลทางการค้า และเปิดโอกาสให้ไทยแสดงบทบาทเชิงรุกผ่านการขยายการลงทุนในสหรัฐฯ
Supachai Suthumpun
"Thailand is ready to be a reliable strategic partner and promote tangible trade cooperation."
ไทยพร้อมเป็นพันธมิตรที่เชื่อถือได้เชิงยุทธศาสตร์ และพร้อมส่งเสริมความร่วมมือทางการค้าอย่างเป็นรูปธรรม

Key Entities

Person

Supachai(ศุภจี)ℹ️
Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce involved in trade negotiations with the US.
Jamieson Greer
United States Trade Representative met with Thai officials.
Rick Switzer
Deputy United States Trade Representative met with Thai officials.
Tammy Duckworthℹ️
US Senator with whom Thai Deputy Prime Minister Supachai Suthumpun discussed economic cooperation.

Organization

United States Trade Representative(USTR)ℹ️
The US government agency responsible for trade negotiations and policy.

Law

Agreement on Reciprocal Trade(ART)
A trade agreement being negotiated between Thailand and the United States.
Section 301(มาตรา 301)ℹ️
A US trade law that allows the US to investigate and take action against unfair trade practices.

Place

United States(สหรัฐฯ)ℹ️
The country involved in trade negotiations and tariff considerations with Thailand.
Thailand(ไทย)ℹ️
The country involved in trade negotiations and facing potential US tariff measures.