Commerce Ministry rolls out measures to boost Thai exports and accelerate global FTAs

The Commerce Ministry has launched 7 strategic measures and 25 action plans to drive exports of Thai agricultural products worldwide, following Prime Minister’s directive to resolve domestic oversupply and increase farmers' incomes.

Minister Pichai Naripthaphan said on Wednesday that the ministry is working with various agencies to enhance production, marketing, exports, processing, and trade facilitation for a targeted 950,000 tons of fruit. It also includes a strong campaign to boost domestic fruit consumption.

The Department of Internal Trade has been tasked with launching promotional campaigns in collaboration with major retail outlets—including Siam Paragon, Central, The Mall, and CP Axtra—to expand direct-to-consumer sales channels for farmers, he added.

To reduce production costs, the department is partnering with three major fertilizer associations and the Agriculture and Cooperatives Ministry to provide high-quality fertilizer at a discount of up to 50 baht per sack. The program covers 79 formulas across all crop types and involves over 10.06 million sacks from 26 companies, running until September 30.

Pichai went on to say that in terms of trade policy, the ministry is expediting free trade agreement (FTA) negotiations with the European Union, South Korea, and ASEAN-Canada, aiming to conclude all talks by the end of the year. Once completed, Thailand will have free trade agreements with over 50 countries, giving Thai exporters and investors a competitive edge in new markets.

“The success of existing FTAs is already evident,” he said. “In March, Thai exports grew by 17.8%, reaching US $29.55 billion—a historic monthly record. For Q1 2025, exports rose 15.2% year on year, totaling $81.53 billion.”

Pichai pointed out that one significant milestone was Thailand's FTA signing with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) in January, covering high-purchasing-power nations such as Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein. Exports to Switzerland surged by 852% in January, 235% in February, and 497% in March.

Pichai also highlighted the revamped Thai SELECT program, now rebranded as a Global Brand featuring a "Orchid Star" emblem. Restaurants are rated across four tiers: Thai SELECT 1 Star, 2 Stars, 3 Stars, and Thai SELECT Casual, spanning from affordable eateries to premium dining establishments.

To prevent misuse of Thai export labels, the ministry is compiling a list of foreign companies using Thailand as a base for tax evasion and is scrutinizing 65 high-risk product groups, working closely with U.S. Customs to address fraud.

The ministry is also cracking down on illegally imported goods. Over the past eight months, it has pursued 32,394 legal cases, involving damages of 1.45 billion baht, and collected 1.8 billion baht in VAT on imports under 1,500 baht. A total of 9,043 illegal product listings have been removed from online platforms.

Efforts to combat nominee businesses (foreign businesses disguising themselves as local) also continue. Between September 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025, authorities have taken action against 852 offenders, with damages totaling 15.19 billion baht. The ministry has set a 2025 nominee inspection plan, targeting 46,918 juristic entities.