Thaksin Shinawatra, the de facto leader of Thailand’s ruling party, is taking a more proactive role in shaping the country’s response to deal with the fallout of President Donald Trump’s threat to impose a steep 36% tariff on its exports to the US.

The primary objective of the talk was to strategise how to address Washington’s confirmed tariff hike. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Blunt letters dictating terms posted to social media and changes late in negotiations have left trading partners wondering what President Trump will do next.

Nintendo lists Cambodia as one of its main manufacturing sites while Apple appears to use two contract manufacturers with factories in Thailand.

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

Trump’s new tariff letters have sent shockwaves across global markets as he targets 22 countries with tough new trade threats just weeks before the August 1 deadline. From close allies like Japan and South Korea to BRICS nations like Brazil and South Africa,

Trump announced a 20% levy on the Phillippines, as per his latest Truth Social post. Laos: 40%. Myanmar: 40%. Thailand: 36%. Cambodia: 36%. Bangladesh: 35%. Serbia: 35%.

Many countries thought they were negotiating in good faith. The White House renewed its “reciprocal” tariff plan anyway, giving countries until Aug. 1 to make offers.