Thailand's negotiations with Washington on steep trade tariffs were postponed because the United States has asked Bangkok to review important issues, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said on Tuesday.
A new meeting date was being scheduled, she said. The previous date for talks was Wednesday. Thailand is among the Southeast Asian nations hardest hit by US President Donald Trump's measures, facing a 36% tariff if a reduction cannot be negotiated before a global moratorium expires in July.
"We're not too slow and we are reviewing issues, including our tariffs that may be adjusted appropriately," Paetongtarn said, adding that Thai agriculture exports and additional imports were being examined.
The United States was Thailand's largest export market last year, accounting for 18.3% of total shipments, or US$54.96 billion. Washington has put its deficit with Thailand at $45.6 billion.
"We are consulting academics and all parties and doing our best in this situation," she added.
"We are protecting the agricultural interests as much as possible," she said, adding negotiations should be mutually beneficial.
Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira, who had been due to join the talks in Washington, said that despite the postponement of US negotiations, talks were still ongoing on the working level. He said he had no plans to travel to the United States soon.
Mr Pichai, who is Thailand's lead negotiator, also did not travel to Seattle last week to meet with American businessmen as previously announced.
Commerce Minister Pichai Naripthaphan, who is also part of the negotiation team, said the government was hopeful of a "good outcome" whenever the negotiations are held as the two countries have a "good and longstanding" bilateral relations.
Thailand is among the Southeast Asian countries facing the highest import levy rates after its trade surplus with the United States more than doubled to about $46 billion last year, from about $17 billion at the beginning of Trump's first term.
Thai rice exports fell 30% in the first quarter and could come below full-year forecasts of 7.5 million metric tonnes over the tariffs, according to the rice export association.
Last year, Thailand shipped 9.94 million tonnes of rice worth 225.65 billion baht, with the US being its third-largest market by volume.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn's administration has said the higher-than-expected levy on its shipments to the US — Thailand’s largest export market — could shave off at least one percentage point of its growth this year if it is not negotiated down.
Thailand has offered to step up imports of US commodities like corn, natural gas and ethane, besides reducing import duties and removing non-tariff barriers to secure a deal. It has also pledged stricter inspection of goods shipped to the US to prevent counterfeiting by third countries to dodge the high tariffs facing them.
Earlier report: Thai-US talks no longer on April 23, sources say