Trade talks with the US must continue despite tariff ruling: Thaksin

Thailand must press ahead with trade negotiations with the United States, despite a US trade court ordering a halt to certain tariff policies, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said on Friday.

Although a federal appeals court on Thursday temporarily reinstated the most sweeping of US President Donald Trump’s tariffs, Thaksin stressed in an exclusive interview with Nation Group that Thailand should continue with its tariff negotiations.

“We are currently engaged in negotiations at various levels, and the conditions previously imposed have now been somewhat relaxed, allowing us to negotiate more effectively,” he said.When asked whether he would be able to assist with the negotiations personally, Thaksin replied that he would likely contribute domestically, as his request for permission to travel abroad and meet Trump face-to-face had been denied.

Asked about the current slowdown in public investment and how the government plans to address it, Thaksin said discussions had already taken place with the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), noting that Thailand’s economic outlook is closely tied to the performance of the capital market.He emphasised the urgent need to improve transparency, enforce penalties against wrongdoers, and address issues such as high-frequency trading and the use of robot trading systems, which often disadvantage retail investors.

“These issues must be tackled swiftly to restore investor confidence,” he said.

(2025/05/30-00:00)