Thailand Confident of Lowering US Tariff With Trade Offers (1)

Thailand remains optimistic about securing a lower tariff rate than the 36% levy announced by President Donald Trump, based on its offer to reduce import tax on most US goods to zero, Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira said.

Trump set the levy on Thailand without taking into account its revised proposals to increase market access by removing tariff and non-tariff barriers on a number of goods, Pichai told reporters Tuesday. The Southeast Asian nation expects to wrap up fresh trade talks before the Aug. 1 deadline set by Washington, he said.

In a last-minute bid to avoid the punitive tariff, ...