AKP Phnom Penh, April 29, 2025 —

Commerce Minister Pichai Naripthaphan presided over a seminar in Nakhon Phanom province on April 28 to encourage small and medium-sized enterprises to better utilize Free Trade Agreements amid rising global trade pressures. Held at the Mekong Heritage Hotel, the event drew over 150 business representatives from Nakhon Phanom, Sakon Nakhon, Mukdahan, and Nong Khai provinces, seeking to strengthen the export competitiveness of local firms following the latest round of U.S. tariff increases.

Minister Pichai addressed recent speculation that Thailand’s export surge was driven by exporters rushing to avoid new tariffs, explaining that steady growth had already been recorded since Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra assumed office. Export figures rose by 14.6 percent in October, 8.2 percent in November, and 8.7 percent in December 2024. In the first quarter of 2025, exports grew by 15.2 percent to a total value of 81.5 billion US dollars, the highest six-month growth average in a decade.

The seminar, the sixth in a ten-event series, also highlighted Thailand’s rapid conclusion of a Free Trade Agreement with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), leading to a substantial increase in exports to Switzerland. Ongoing negotiations with the European Union, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, and ASEAN-Canada are expected to extend Thailand’s network of FTAs to over 50 countries, bolstering economic stability.

Participants were encouraged to incorporate more domestic raw materials into their products and prepare for expanded trade opportunities through a new mobile application being developed by the Ministry of Commerce. The platform will consolidate FTA-related services to improve accessibility for exporters.

AKP-NNT