(Thailand, 12th) The Ministry of Commerce of Thailand announced the trade preference usage for the first quarter of 2025 (January to March). The usage amount under the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) reached 22.001 billion US dollars, approximately 93 billion Ringgit, accounting for 79.75% of the total value of exports eligible for preferences, an increase of 19.04% year-on-year. The Ministry of Commerce emphasized the need to fully utilize the trade preferences brought by FTAs to enhance the competitiveness of Thai products and expand the global market.
Arada, Director General of the Department of Foreign Trade, stated that in the first quarter of this year, the value of trade preference usage under the FTA framework was 22.001 billion US dollars, accounting for 79.75% of the related export amount, representing a 19.04% increase compared to the same period last year. Among them, exports to ASEAN member countries using the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) amounted to 7.896 billion US dollars, with a usage ratio of 67.07%. Ranked second was exports under the China-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA), amounting to 4.926 billion US dollars, with a high usage rate of 90.92%. The third was under the ASEAN-India Free Trade Agreement (AIFTA), amounting to 3.908 billion US dollars, with a usage rate of 87.11%. Fourth was under the Thailand-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (JTEPA), amounting to 1.572 billion US dollars, with a usage rate of 74.89%. Fifth was under the Thailand-Australia Free Trade Agreement (TAFTA), amounting to 1.346 billion US dollars, with a usage rate of 56.85%.
From the product category perspective, the top five products exported using FTAs include: 1) Unprocessed or semi-finished or powdery platinum, export value 1.656 billion US dollars; 2) Diesel or semi-diesel engine trucks, export value 1.589 billion US dollars; 3) Synthetic rubber and natural rubber mixed products, export value 858 million US dollars; 4) Other unprocessed or semi-finished platinum, export value 760 million US dollars; 5) Cane sugar products, export value 473 million US dollars.
Arada pointed out that among the 12 FTAs tracked by the Department of Foreign Trade, six showed increased usage rates in the first quarter of 2025, namely: 1) ASEAN-India Free Trade Agreement with a usage rate increase of 201.64% for exports to India; 2) Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with a growth of 21.27%; 3) China-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement with a usage rate increase of 17.64% for exports to China; 4) ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement with a growth of 7.69%; 5) ASEAN-Korea Free Trade Agreement with a usage rate increase of 4.31% for exports to Korea; 6) Thailand-Peru Economic Partnership Agreement with a growth of 0.33%. These increases are mainly attributed to the overall expansion of Thailand's export scale, rising from 70.754 billion US dollars in the same period of 2024 to 81.532 billion US dollars in 2025.
Among them, the top five FTA-exported agricultural and processed agricultural products are: cane sugar, frozen poultry meat, prepared chicken meat, fresh fruits (such as rambutan, longan, fresh pomegranate), and fresh durian, with a total export value of 4.775 billion US dollars, accounting for 21.71% of the total FTA usage. The top five industrial product exports are: unprocessed or semi-finished or powdery platinum, freight cars, synthetic and natural rubber mixtures, other unprocessed platinum products, and wall-mounted or ceiling-mounted air conditioners, with a total export value of 17.226 billion US dollars, accounting for 78.29%.
Arada added that the Ministry of Commerce attaches great importance to expanding export opportunities for Thai enterprises through FTAs. It held a series of lectures themed "Enhancing SMEs' International Competitiveness" from June 10th to 12th in Nakhon Ratchasima Province and Buriram Province in northeastern Thailand. Topics included "Techniques for Expanding Business Through FTAs" and "How to Effectively Utilize FTA Trade Preferences." Arada emphasized that FTA trade preferences not only reduce import taxes and transaction costs but can also enhance the attractiveness of Thai products in the international market. In the future, Thailand will continue to advance FTA negotiations with more countries, such as Sri Lanka, the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), and Bhutan, to continually expand export markets and reduce dependence on a single market.
Arada, Director General of the Department of Foreign Trade, stated that in the first quarter of this year, the value of trade preference usage under the FTA framework was 22.001 billion US dollars, accounting for 79.75% of the related export amount, representing a 19.04% increase compared to the same period last year. Among them, exports to ASEAN member countries using the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) amounted to 7.896 billion US dollars, with a usage ratio of 67.07%. Ranked second was exports under the China-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA), amounting to 4.926 billion US dollars, with a high usage rate of 90.92%. The third was under the ASEAN-India Free Trade Agreement (AIFTA), amounting to 3.908 billion US dollars, with a usage rate of 87.11%. Fourth was under the Thailand-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (JTEPA), amounting to 1.572 billion US dollars, with a usage rate of 74.89%. Fifth was under the Thailand-Australia Free Trade Agreement (TAFTA), amounting to 1.346 billion US dollars, with a usage rate of 56.85%.
From the product category perspective, the top five products exported using FTAs include: 1) Unprocessed or semi-finished or powdery platinum, export value 1.656 billion US dollars; 2) Diesel or semi-diesel engine trucks, export value 1.589 billion US dollars; 3) Synthetic rubber and natural rubber mixed products, export value 858 million US dollars; 4) Other unprocessed or semi-finished platinum, export value 760 million US dollars; 5) Cane sugar products, export value 473 million US dollars.
Arada pointed out that among the 12 FTAs tracked by the Department of Foreign Trade, six showed increased usage rates in the first quarter of 2025, namely: 1) ASEAN-India Free Trade Agreement with a usage rate increase of 201.64% for exports to India; 2) Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with a growth of 21.27%; 3) China-ASEAN Free Trade Agreement with a usage rate increase of 17.64% for exports to China; 4) ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement with a growth of 7.69%; 5) ASEAN-Korea Free Trade Agreement with a usage rate increase of 4.31% for exports to Korea; 6) Thailand-Peru Economic Partnership Agreement with a growth of 0.33%. These increases are mainly attributed to the overall expansion of Thailand's export scale, rising from 70.754 billion US dollars in the same period of 2024 to 81.532 billion US dollars in 2025.
Among them, the top five FTA-exported agricultural and processed agricultural products are: cane sugar, frozen poultry meat, prepared chicken meat, fresh fruits (such as rambutan, longan, fresh pomegranate), and fresh durian, with a total export value of 4.775 billion US dollars, accounting for 21.71% of the total FTA usage. The top five industrial product exports are: unprocessed or semi-finished or powdery platinum, freight cars, synthetic and natural rubber mixtures, other unprocessed platinum products, and wall-mounted or ceiling-mounted air conditioners, with a total export value of 17.226 billion US dollars, accounting for 78.29%.
Arada added that the Ministry of Commerce attaches great importance to expanding export opportunities for Thai enterprises through FTAs. It held a series of lectures themed "Enhancing SMEs' International Competitiveness" from June 10th to 12th in Nakhon Ratchasima Province and Buriram Province in northeastern Thailand. Topics included "Techniques for Expanding Business Through FTAs" and "How to Effectively Utilize FTA Trade Preferences." Arada emphasized that FTA trade preferences not only reduce import taxes and transaction costs but can also enhance the attractiveness of Thai products in the international market. In the future, Thailand will continue to advance FTA negotiations with more countries, such as Sri Lanka, the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), and Bhutan, to continually expand export markets and reduce dependence on a single market.