BANGKOK — Thailand’s Commerce Ministry warned that a US push to gain control over Greenland could have ripple effects on global trade and Thai exports, mainly through heightened trade tensions between the United States and the European Union.
Nantapong Jiralertpong, director of the Office of Trade Policy and Strategy, said higher costs in the United States would be likely if retaliatory trade measures emerge between Washington and Brussels. US importers would bear heavier tax burdens, particularly for goods reliant on European components, such as automobiles, pharmaceuticals and luxury products.
In the longer term, he said, the situation signals a structural shift towards deeper global economic fragmentation. That could open opportunities for Thailand to export substitute goods, including rice, processed fruit and frozen chicken to the EU in place of US products, and to expand shipments of canned seafood to the United States.
Risks, however, include a potential drop in orders for Thai parts integrated into European supply chains, as tensions between the two sides disrupt cross-border production networks.
The Greenland issue eased after the World Economic Forum 2026 meeting, when the United States and NATO reached a framework agreement. Under the deal, Washington pledged not to use military force and withdrew threats to impose tariffs on Denmark and Europe.
While Denmark retains sovereignty over Greenland, the United States gained access for security cooperation, missile defence installations and rare earth minerals. The short-term impact on Thailand is expected to be limited, Nantapong said, but the episode has shaken confidence in US–European trade relations.
He added that global commerce is increasingly shifting towards a “trade for security” model. Thailand should diversify risks, maintain diplomatic balance and develop upstream and midstream industries, particularly in food, technology and industrial components, to strengthen competitiveness.