Thailand is ready to support Asean’s collective approach in negotiating with the United States over its reciprocal tariffs on imports from countries in the region, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said on Thursday.
She made the remarks after talks with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim at Government House on Thursday. Mr Anwar is on a two-day working visit to Thailand at the invitation of Ms Paetongtarn.
The two leaders first made contact when Ms Paetongtarn visited Malaysia on Dec 16, and they followed up with a phone conversation on April 5.
Ms Paetongtarn said they discussed how Asean can join forces to deal with US tariff hikes, adding that the combined population of Asean member countries — about 670 million — makes the bloc a huge market and a force to be reckoned with.
She said the issue would be discussed at the next Asean meeting and Thailand is ready to support the idea of Asean joining forces for the benefit of all member countries.
Ms Paetongtarn said Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira would lead a Thai delegation to Washington for talks next Wednesday.
President Donald Trump on April 9 announced a pause on all reciprocal tariffs — including a 36% levy on Thailand — as countries began lining up to seek negotiations. However, a 10% baseline tariff on all goods still applies to almost all US trading partners.
“We have a set of decent proposals to present to the US during the talks. It would be a win-win situation for both sides,” the Thai premier said.
Thailand’s trade surplus with the US was $45.6 billion last year, the 11th largest among all of America’s trading partners.
Ms Paetongtarn said other topics discussed with Mr Anwar included a project to build a new bridge over the Golok River, which serves as a natural borderline between Narathiwat province and Kelantan state in Malaysia.
Construction is expected to be completed in 2027, she said.
The premier also asked her Malaysian counterpart to promote more cooperation between Kedah Rubber City in Malaysia and Songkhla Rubber City in Thailand to aid farmers and small businesses from both sides.
As well, she said, they discussed a new peace negotiation team that would be established to address the ongoing conflict in Thailand’s three southern border provinces.
The government is ready to provide more support for the team, she said, adding Malaysia would continue to act as the facilitator for talks between Thailand and the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN), the main separatist group.
Power dinner
Away from the limelight and the official formalities, meanwhile, Ms Paetongtarn’s father was engaged in high-level talks of his own on Thursday evening.
Security was stepped up at the Rosewood Bangkok Hotel, owned by Ms Paetongtarn’s sister Pintongta, where former premier Thaksin Shinawatra hosted a dinner for Mr Anwar.
Thaksin is an informal adviser on Asean affairs to Mr Anwar. Malaysia holds the rotating chairmanship of Asean this year.
Their dinner guest was Min Aung Hlaing, the head of the military junta that overthrew the elected government of Myanmar in 2021.
Sources said the three men were expected to discuss attempts to revive the moribund “five-point consensus” agreed on by Asean to pave the way for peace talks in Myanmar.
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