US President Donald Trump announced the signing of a Framework for an Agreement on Reciprocal Trade with Thailand, which will provide unprecedented access to the Thai market for US industrial and agricultural exporters. Thailand will eliminate tariffs on 99% of US goods. The US aims to reduce non-tariff barriers to US goods, strengthen economic security cooperation, and pledge to total more than $26 billion in trade.

President Donald Trump announced a trade agreement with the Kingdom of Thailand, emphasizing the unprecedented level of market access benefits for Americans. The agreement will strengthen the bilateral relationship and support US economic security.

Key points of the agreement:

• Tariffs: Thailand will eliminate tariffs on 99% of all US industrial, agricultural, and food products. The US will maintain the 19% tariff rate on Thai imports and consider adjusting it to 0% for certain products listed in the list attached to Executive Order 14346.
• Reduce non-tariff barriers for industrial goods: Thailand agrees to certify vehicle safety standards under US law, accept US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) certification for medical devices and drugs, allow ethanol imports as fuel, amend customs law to reduce the award of fines, and implement transparent regulatory approaches.
• Open US agricultural markets: Thailand will expedite approvals for meat and poultry imports from US Food Safety Administration (FSIS)-certified facilities, and amend technical barriers for agricultural products such as dried corn. and accept product certification from US agencies.
• Remove barriers to digital trade and services: Thailand will not impose digital services taxes or discriminatory measures on US platforms, allow free cross-border data transfers, support the exemption of customs duties on electronic data transmissions under the World Trade Organization (WTO), cancel domestic debit card processing regulations, and ease restrictions on foreign ownership in telecommunications businesses.
• Intellectual property: Thailand pledges to address trademark, copyright, and patent infringement, including illegal copyright collection organizations and patent filing delays, and jointly establish a framework for protecting geographical indications (GIs).
• Economic security: Both countries will work together to build supply chain resilience, prevent tax evasion, and jointly implement export and investment controls in strategic sectors.
• Labor and environmental rights: Thailand will align labor laws with international standards, promote workers' rights to organize and collectively bargain, and enhance law enforcement in sectors at risk of forced and child labor. While maintaining the highest standards of environmental protection
• Mega Trade Deal: The United States and Thailand are set to sign commercial agreements with private companies in agriculture, energy and aviation worth over $26.8 billion

The Way Forward: The United States and Thailand will accelerate negotiations to finalize and sign a comprehensive agreement in the coming weeks, which is expected to boost the value of U.S. exports, reduce the trade deficit with Thailand and expand opportunities for American farmers, manufacturers and small and medium-sized businesses.

This agreement is part of President Trump's ongoing"America First" policy, which aims to remove unfair trade barriers and restore economic balance among allies. Thailand is a key trading partner with whom the United States seeks long-term strategic cooperation. Thailand currently has the 11th-largest trade deficit, with a total value of $45 billion in 2024.