Thailand will boost anti-dumping, safeguard and anti-circumvention measures to curb an anticipated influx of import goods affected by the deepening trade war between the US and China.
Adul Chotinisakorn, director-general of the Foreign Trade Department, said relevant authorities are on full alert and have prepared measures to protect local industries that could be hit by the flood of imports.
"Whenever we find an influx of imported goods either from China or the US, or even from other countries, the department will immediately exercise the amended Anti-Dumping and Countervailing Act that adds new chapters regarding anti-circumvention penalties and the safeguard measures under the Safeguard Measure Against Increased Imports Act," Mr Adul said.
Circumvention is any activity designed to avoid the payment of anti-dumping or countervailing duties imposed on a particular product made in and/or exported from other countries.
Circumvention practices include making minor modifications to goods but leaving their essential characteristics unaltered; the export of goods (with minor modifications) from third countries; and the exporter reducing prices to skirt the full extent of dumping duties, thereby prolonging the injury intended to be prevented.
According to Mr Adul, the escalating trade war will result in a slowdown in global trade.
"We've been closely watching and investigating, particularly the import of Chinese products, to find which types of products have seen irregular imports," he said.