Dr. Ekniti leads Team Thailand in responding to the new US tax policy.

Dr. Ekniti led the Thailand team in a strategic meeting to strategize on how to respond to US tax policy following the Supreme Court ruling, accelerating exports within the 150-day timeframe to mitigate the impact on the Thai economy and private sector confidence.

March 2, 2026, 4:40 PM, at the Ministry of Finance. Dr. Ekniti Nitithanpraphat, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance An urgent meeting was held with Mr. Sihasak Phuangketkaew, Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Ms. Supajee Suthamphan, Minister of Commerce, along with the Thai Ambassador to Washington and representatives from the private sector, to determine a strategy to respond to the new tariff policies and trade barriers of the United States, in accordance with the Cabinet resolution, in order to safeguard Thailand's best interests following the Supreme Court's ruling.

Dr. Ekniti revealed that the urgent meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Minister of Commerce, and representatives from the private sector was in accordance with the Cabinet resolution assigning the three main economic ministries to integrate their efforts in determining the country's strategy.

The discussions aimed to strategize and determine the approach for future negotiations with the U.S. government following the Supreme Court's ruling. The Thai Ambassador to the United States also participated in assessing the situation.

Mr. Sihasak Phuangketkaew, Minister of Foreign Affairs It was revealed that the US stance remains highly uncertain. The original measure, which was under negotiation at 19%, has been cancelled, and there is a possibility that a 10% rate will be used instead before being increased to 15% in the future. This volatility has a significant impact on the confidence of the Thai private sector.

“We need to find countermeasures because of the high level of uncertainty. Even though tariffs on imports from around the world at a rate of 15% have been announced and will be imposed within 150 days, the stance of the United States remains unclear. The private sector needs certainty to plan its trade strategies. Therefore, we need to gather information to determine the clearest stance and tariff rates.”

Mr. Sihasak further stated that the government still needs to resolve unresolved issues from previous negotiations, particularly domestic coordination regarding market opening measures, which involves the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, in order to establish a unified stance.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is ready to support the development of a national strategy, utilizing the network of the Royal Thai Embassy in Washington D.C. to closely monitor the situation. It will also continue to seek partnerships with high-level U.S. agencies such as the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), the Department of the Treasury, the White House, and the Department of State.

Mr. Lawaron Saengsanit, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance, added that the meeting considered approaches to responding to the new measures from the United States, focusing on short-term management within a 150-day timeframe to find the most beneficial position for the country.

"Initially, the government is considering the possibility of implementing a strategy to accelerate exports during this 150-day period to mitigate the economic impact, before assessing the situation and its effects in the longer term."

In addition, in-depth discussions are being prepared with the Ministry of Industry and the private sector to understand the expectations of the business sector and coordinate perspectives to achieve unified measures.

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