Thaksin Shinawatra, the de facto leader of Thailand’s ruling party, is taking a more proactive role in shaping the country’s response to deal with the fallout of President Donald Trump’s threat to impose a steep 36% tariff on its exports to the US.

The primary objective of the talk was to strategise how to address Washington’s confirmed tariff hike. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Southeast Asian countries, including Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Thailand, face duties ranging from 25 to 40 per cent.

Thailand remains optimistic about securing a lower tariff rate than the 36% levy announced by President Donald Trump based on an offer to bring down import tax on most US goods to zero, according to Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira.

Thailand is scrambling to avoid crisis after the US imposed a 36% tariff, racing to secure concessions and emergency relief measures.

Thailand has submitted a new trade proposal to the United States, offering to cut levies to zero on many U.S. imports in a bid to avoid steep tariff hikes on its own products, the finance minister said on Monday.

US stocks closed little changed despite Trump's tough tariff talk. Copper climbs to record high after Trump threatens to slap 50% levy on imports.