The Ministry of Commerce, through the Department of International Trade Promotion, is accelerating export market expansion in response to US tariffs by organizing the “Thailand – Global Connect: Seeking New Opportunities amidst Global Trade Challenges” business matching event. The event invited 156 Thai companies and 135 importers from 29 countries worldwide to participate, resulting in over 700 business negotiation matches, both online and onsite. This activity is expected to generate approximately 800 million baht in trade value.
Mr. Suchart Chomklin, Deputy Minister of Commerce, stated at the opening ceremony of the “Thailand – Global Connect: Seeking New Opportunities amidst Global Trade Challenges” event on July 31, 2025, at Centara Grand at Central Plaza Ladprao Bangkok, that “Thailand’s trade economy and exports are crucial mechanisms for driving the economy”. He added that despite the slowdown in the global economy and demand from several trading partners in 2025, the Ministry of Commerce believes opportunities still exist amidst every challenge. From January to June 2025, Thailand’s export value worldwide reached 166,852 million US dollars or 5.58 trillion baht, a 15.03% increase compared to the same period in 2024. Key export markets include the United States, China, Japan, India, and Malaysia, with exports to the United States growing by 29.74%. Important export products include computers, equipment and components, rubber products, fax machines, telephones and components, electrical transformers and components, and machinery and components.
US tariff measures have led to volatility in the global trade situation, especially in the United States, which is Thailand’s number one export market. In the first six months of 2025, Thailand’s exports to the US market amounted to 33,412.04 million US dollars or 1,116,318 million baht, representing 20.02% of total exports.
Although the value of Thailand’s exports to the United States, which remains a key market, continues to grow, the Ministry of Commerce has implemented a proactive export acceleration policy due to uncertainties in US trade policies and volatile global trade conditions. This policy focuses on “accelerating Thai exports to new markets worldwide,” supporting Thai entrepreneurs in accessing international partner networks comprehensively, and promoting and developing entrepreneurs to be strong and competitive on the global stage.
The “Thailand – Global Connect: Seeking New Opportunities amidst Global Trade Challenges” business matching event, organized by the Department of International Trade Promotion, is a crucial activity under the Ministry of Commerce’s policy to create trade opportunities for 156 Thai companies. These companies represent all potential Thai product and service clusters, including food and beverages, lifestyle products, health and beauty products, automotive parts, machinery, medical instruments, service businesses, and many more. They will engage in trade negotiations with 135 importers from 29 countries worldwide, which is expected to lead to concrete trade cooperation, market expansion, export promotion, and increased competitiveness for Thai products on the global stage.
“The Ministry of Commerce expects the trade negotiation value from this activity to be around 800 million baht. Building alliances and opening new trade markets will be a crucial mechanism for maintaining the stability of Thai exports in an era where the trading world faces uncertainty,” concluded Mr. Suchart.
