Bangkok: The Prime Minister is preparing to visit Indonesia and has instructed all agencies to promote cooperation and accelerate the reduction of trade risks in response to US measures.
According to Thai News Agency, on July 27, 2026, Ms. Lalida Periswiwatana, Deputy Spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, revealed that Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul stated before the Cabinet meeting that he is scheduled to pay an official visit to the Republic of Indonesia from August 3-4, 2026. The Cabinet has approved the draft Thai-Indonesian Strategic Partnership Plan 2026-2030, which covers cooperation in security, economics, and culture, and is scheduled to be signed by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of both countries during the visit.
The Prime Minister has instructed all relevant agencies to fully support the preparations for the visit, and to expedite the submission of issues that need to be promoted or discussed with the Indonesian side, including obstacles that need to be elevated to a leaders' level discussion, so that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs can prepare Thailand's position and supporting documents comprehensively and uniformly.
Furthermore, the Prime Minister addressed the U.S. imposing tariffs under Section 301 on over 60 trading partners, with Thailand facing a 12.5% tariff. He emphasized that all agencies should not focus solely on the tariff figures but must urgently address the risk factors that the U.S. prioritizes, particularly forced labor and excess capacity, which could be used as pretexts for increased trade measures against Thailand in the future.
The Prime Minister has therefore instructed the Ministry of Labour, in collaboration with the Ministry of Commerce and related agencies, to expedite the enforcement of relevant laws, regulations, and announcements in a serious and concrete manner. They are also tasked with compiling a list of high-risk goods and industries, and developing a certification system and traceability system to confirm that Thai products throughout the production chain are not involved in forced labor. This information will serve as evidence in negotiations with the United States and other trading partners.
Regarding the issue of excess production capacity, the Prime Minister has assigned the Ministry of Commerce as the lead agency, in coordination with the Ministry of Industry, the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, the Customs Department, and other relevant agencies, to compile a list of high-risk goods and industries. This includes verifying production capacity, inventory levels, government subsidies, origin of goods, and the risk of fraudulent claims or using Thailand as a transit route to circumvent trade measures.
The Prime Minister also emphasized that assistance to entrepreneurs must focus on increasing productivity, reducing costs, developing technology, and adding value to products, rather than supporting the expansion of production capacity or increasing product volume without aligning with market demand. This could lead to accusations of Thailand having excess production capacity. He instructed all agencies to develop systematic measures, assign responsibilities, and establish clear timelines for implementation. These measures will be used in negotiations with the United States to mitigate the impact on Thai entrepreneurs and exports.