Thailand Agrees to Remove Trade Barriers and Advance Reciprocal Trade Framework with the United States

The Government of Thailand has agreed to lift trade barriers on a wide range of United States products and proceed with major long-term procurement commitments, including the acquisition of 80 aircraft valued at approximately USD 8.8 billion. The agreement marks a significant development in bilateral economic cooperation under the newly announced “Framework for an Agreement on Reciprocal Trade,” as confirmed by the White House.

The framework outlines measures aimed at providing both nations with broader and more equitable access to each other’s markets. Under the terms, Thailand will eliminate tariff barriers on around 99 percent of goods, covering industrial, agricultural, medical, and digital products originating from the United States. The United States will maintain reciprocal tariffs at 19 percent in accordance with its executive order, while certain Thai-origin products will receive a zero-percent tariff rate based on a designated list.

Thailand will recognize U.S. regulatory standards across key sectors, including the acceptance of federal safety and emissions standards for vehicles, U.S. Food and Drug Administration certifications for medical devices and pharmaceuticals, and import permits for U.S. ethanol used as fuel. The framework also calls for amendments to Thailand’s customs laws, the removal of the customs reward system, and the adoption of good regulatory practices to facilitate transparent trade.

Provisions of the framework further require Thailand to expedite access for U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service-certified meat and poultry products and to eliminate barriers affecting food and agricultural imports. In the digital sector, Thailand will refrain from imposing discriminatory taxes on digital services, remove screen quotas for films, and ease foreign ownership restrictions in the telecommunications sector.

Commercial arrangements under the agreement include annual purchases of agricultural products valued at USD 2.6 billion, energy products such as liquefied natural gas and crude oil valued at USD 5.4 billion, and aviation procurements amounting to USD 8.8 billion.

Both countries will continue negotiations to finalize the Reciprocal Trade Agreement and undertake domestic formalities prior to its official entry into force.