Trump Tariff Turmoil: Thai Car Market Skids to a Halt

[webfact]

Picture courtesy of automoblog

 

The wheels of Thailand's car industry are grinding slower as President Trump mulls harsh tariffs on imported vehicles. The proposed 25% levy, expected from April 2, has spread a chilling effect across global car markets.

 

Key players are hesitating, with Surapong Paisitpatanapong from the Thai Federation of Industries noting a significant drop in orders for traditional petrol-powered cars. The landscape is murky: countries are holding back, waiting for more information on Trump's next move.

 

The impact is visible. Thai car exports dove by 8.34% in February, with only 81,323 units shipped. The year's start has been bleak, with a whopping 18.1% decline in exports, reaching a mere 143,644 cars.

 

Stricter emissions rules elsewhere are adding salt to the wound for Thailand’s automotive sector, adding further challenges in the market. As if exports weren't enough of a headache, the domestic scene looks equally grim.

 

 

 

February saw local sales dip by 6.68% as tighter lending rules curbed buyers' appetites, leaving the first two months of 2025 with a 9.53% dip in sales at just 97,395 cars. Manufacturers are therefore seeing ripple effects, with February's production slumping by 13.6%.

 

Optimistically, folks are pinning hopes on the ongoing Bangkok International Motor Show. Running until April 6, it’s seen as a lifeline with potential deals and discounts. Meanwhile, the government's 5-billion-baht loan initiative aimed at spurring SME pickups could jolt some life into the market.

 

Surapong is pushing for leniency, asking that non-financial bodies be given the green light to offer loans, hoping to revive the stalling market. While clouds gather over Thailand's automotive future, the coming months are pivotal.

 

All eyes are now on Trump’s looming decision, and until then, it's a waiting game. The industry anticipates that clearer directives will either slow down or fast-track a market recalibration. 

 

Based on a story by The Thaiger
 

-- 2025-03-26

 

 

[Tropicalevo]

I did not think that Thailand exported that many vehicles to the USA, but a quick scan on the internet surprised me.

$358 million last year.

 

https://tradingeconomics.com/thailand/exports/united-states/motor-cars-vehicles-transporting-persons

[dinsdale]

300% tariff on vehicles imported into Thailand. Not sure what the tariff is on Chinese cars but I'll be my left nut it's not 300%. 

[ozz1]

I could see this coming the Thai baht resisting change and it's tit for tat Thailand taxes vehicles at 300 percent is one factor and they don't like competition

[BritScot]

About time. I hope Trump hits thais rights to buy houses/own land in the USA and copies thai 51% rule for business owner as well. And I'm not an American!!! Thailand has got away with this abuse for far to long. 

[Gknrd]

No worries, Thailand will start charging all westerners  double pricing  for a dish of PaTai. Up the national parks to double or triple the rate of Thais. Taxi meters will be recalibrated for farang tax. 

Wait a minute, they already do this.. 

[Pouatchee]

Now dat gonna hurt... important industry here the car industry... good paying job for thais

 

lets see how taxin takes care of this one... not sure he is a trump bud

[realfunster]

I saw Thailand was on the Top 15 list of US Tariff Targets.

Not surprising - many protectionist policies in place, plus the real kicker is Thailand runs a huge trade deficit with China but enjoys a reasonable surplus with the US.

Question is - will implementing tariffs on countries like Thailand bring them in line with US expectations or simply push them to align closer both economically and politically with their other trading partners ?

[newbee2022]

Now even the last American will wake up when inflation, higher prices, rising interest rates, low economy will hit them.

Congrats, 

Btw Donald, you can communicate with me on WhatsApp or Signal, you know.😂

[Rickman66]

Fair enough try buy a Cadillac in Thailand 300% tariff 

[NorthernRyland]

4 hours ago, Gknrd said:

Up the national parks to double or triple the rate of Thais

LOL it's already 10x what the Thai's pay!! Thai 20 baht, foreigner 200 baht is common.

[hotsun]

15 hours ago, BritScot said:

About time. I hope Trump hits thais rights to buy houses/own land in the USA and copies thai 51% rule for business owner as well. And I'm not an American!!! Thailand has got away with this abuse for far to long. 

Do you live in Thailand? Be careful what you wish for, their economy is hanging on by a thread

[Serenity_Now]

aye well he can kiss those Scottish golf courses goodbye
hes in for a bif F*** Surpise soon

wit a retard

would you buy a GMC auto thats made in USA millions dont why is that donnie boy its coz their crap 
usual no blame culture
the maga supporters on this forum are getting quieter by the day hahaha

[Toby1947]

Thailand had it too good for too long. Tariffs on vehicles and wine etc.  absolutely ridiculous. Donald ain't having it any longer. 🤣 

[Serenity_Now]

I think Donald should hire Scotty kILMER as his auto czar
before he rushes ahead with all these tariffs

https://www.youtube.com/user/scottykilmer
 

scotty be like ok gmc already here lets up their taxes for faults
toyota we gotta pay those guys for sending us those trucks no penalties 
ford jeez dont get me started no need to tax them no one buys that sh*t anyway

im sure someone could do a better list 

[Owiee]

23 hours ago, webfact said:

Picture courtesy of automoblog

 

The wheels of Thailand's car industry are grinding slower as President Trump mulls harsh tariffs on imported vehicles. The proposed 25% levy, expected from April 2, has spread a chilling effect across global car markets.

 

Key players are hesitating, with Surapong Paisitpatanapong from the Thai Federation of Industries noting a significant drop in orders for traditional petrol-powered cars. The landscape is murky: countries are holding back, waiting for more information on Trump's next move.

 

The impact is visible. Thai car exports dove by 8.34% in February, with only 81,323 units shipped. The year's start has been bleak, with a whopping 18.1% decline in exports, reaching a mere 143,644 cars.

 

Stricter emissions rules elsewhere are adding salt to the wound for Thailand’s automotive sector, adding further challenges in the market. As if exports weren't enough of a headache, the domestic scene looks equally grim.

 

 

 

February saw local sales dip by 6.68% as tighter lending rules curbed buyers' appetites, leaving the first two months of 2025 with a 9.53% dip in sales at just 97,395 cars. Manufacturers are therefore seeing ripple effects, with February's production slumping by 13.6%.

 

Optimistically, folks are pinning hopes on the ongoing Bangkok International Motor Show. Running until April 6, it’s seen as a lifeline with potential deals and discounts. Meanwhile, the government's 5-billion-baht loan initiative aimed at spurring SME pickups could jolt some life into the market.

 

Surapong is pushing for leniency, asking that non-financial bodies be given the green light to offer loans, hoping to revive the stalling market. While clouds gather over Thailand's automotive future, the coming months are pivotal.

 

All eyes are now on Trump’s looming decision, and until then, it's a waiting game. The industry anticipates that clearer directives will either slow down or fast-track a market recalibration. 

 

Based on a story by The Thaiger
 

-- 2025-03-26

 

 

 

23 hours ago, webfact said:

Picture courtesy of automoblog

 

The wheels of Thailand's car industry are grinding slower as President Trump mulls harsh tariffs on imported vehicles. The proposed 25% levy, expected from April 2, has spread a chilling effect across global car markets.

 

Key players are hesitating, with Surapong Paisitpatanapong from the Thai Federation of Industries noting a significant drop in orders for traditional petrol-powered cars. The landscape is murky: countries are holding back, waiting for more information on Trump's next move.

 

The impact is visible. Thai car exports dove by 8.34% in February, with only 81,323 units shipped. The year's start has been bleak, with a whopping 18.1% decline in exports, reaching a mere 143,644 cars.

 

Stricter emissions rules elsewhere are adding salt to the wound for Thailand’s automotive sector, adding further challenges in the market. As if exports weren't enough of a headache, the domestic scene looks equally grim.

 

 

 

February saw local sales dip by 6.68% as tighter lending rules curbed buyers' appetites, leaving the first two months of 2025 with a 9.53% dip in sales at just 97,395 cars. Manufacturers are therefore seeing ripple effects, with February's production slumping by 13.6%.

 

Optimistically, folks are pinning hopes on the ongoing Bangkok International Motor Show. Running until April 6, it’s seen as a lifeline with potential deals and discounts. Meanwhile, the government's 5-billion-baht loan initiative aimed at spurring SME pickups could jolt some life into the market.

 

Surapong is pushing for leniency, asking that non-financial bodies be given the green light to offer loans, hoping to revive the stalling market. While clouds gather over Thailand's automotive future, the coming months are pivotal.

 

All eyes are now on Trump’s looming decision, and until then, it's a waiting game. The industry anticipates that clearer directives will either slow down or fast-track a market recalibration. 

 

Based on a story by The Thaiger
 

-- 2025-03-26

 

 

The Thai tax on import goods is to much more, now maybe they will reconsider such taxes, but probably not. 

[renaissanc]

Trump's tariff is 25%. Accept it. Either accept it or invest in a car plant in the USA. Can you sell more cars in Thailand? I see the prices of cars rise each year. 4-door pick-up trucks cost a fortune now. They are also made with flimsy metal or whatever the material is nowadays. If you crash, you're either dead or severely injured. My Isuzu Spacecab is 25 years old. It's made of heavy steel. Lifting up the bonnet is a strong man's job. I'll drive it until it's 30 years old because I feel safe in it. Then I'll buy an old car, I expect, because in 5 years cars will probably be made of plastic or thin aluminium.

[Tarteso]

23 hours ago, webfact said:

Stricter emissions rules elsewhere are adding salt to the wound for Thailand’s automotive sector,

Thais Don’t know what is it.

[crazykopite]

22 hours ago, dinsdale said:

300% tariff on vehicles imported into Thailand. Not sure what the tariff is on Chinese cars but I'll be my left nut it's not 300%. 

My Toyota cross hybrid built in Japan stripped down and shipped to Thailand  then rebuilt in Bangkok all to save import duties 

[gargamon]

5 minutes ago, renaissanc said:

They are also made with flimsy metal or whatever the material is nowadays. If you crash, you're either dead or severely injured.

You think the body panels protect you in a possibly fatal accident? Wow. They've got airbags now, and the vehicles are designed to protect occupants in a major accident. Do try and keep up.

[spidermike007]

Thailand has been facing issues for a very long time and after 10 years of army rule the Prayuth Decimation still affects Thailand to this day, and will for quite some time to come. The current administration is no better, as they have very few smart appointees and virtually nobody is there based on merit nor vision. 

 

Trump is escalating his trade war and it's going to severely damage the US economy in the process, and the damage is going to be long-term. This man is an uninformed nitwit who knows nothing about globalization nor the ecosystems involved in manufacturing. He is diminishing US influence by the day and that is going to be long-term, as nations around the world are not going to forget this and will be boycotting American products for decades to come. America deserves that treatment, as they voted Trump in after all. 

[jvs]

If some one decides to build a car factory in the US ,there are many things to consider.

Firstly,you can not start building and selling cars tomorrow.

Building a large factory will take 2 years and a whole lot of money.

What can change in two years?

Flip flop tariffs,may or may not last ,may or may not go up or down.

Trump may be gone for a number of reasons.

Those cars will be only sold in the US because other countries will be putting tariffs on that also.

It is a mess and it will only get messier.

Trump is going to destroy the US economy,well you get what you voted for but almost the same amount of people voted against him and every one now has to deal with the consequences.

A lot of countries are looking to buy arms elsewhere now.

Not soon but very soon some people will get very tired of winning i can assure you.

I said it before,how long can you keep defending the undefendable?

US citizens ,start paying off your credit while you still can,you could be homeless in six months.(then donald will put you in a camp for your own good)

 

[tomazbodner]

Apparently all cars imported to US would get 25% tariffs...

 

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/03/26/economy/auto-tariffs-announcement/index.html

[Presnock]

2 hours ago, realfunster said:

I saw Thailand was on the Top 15 list of US Tariff Targets.

Not surprising - many protectionist policies in place, plus the real kicker is Thailand runs a huge trade deficit with China but enjoys a reasonable surplus with the US.

Question is - will implementing tariffs on countries like Thailand bring them in line with US expectations or simply push them to align closer both economically and politically with their other trading partners ?

Thais already joined BRICS.   I think that the Trump tariffs plus other economic woes in the US will make other nations consider joining BRICS also.  Trump talked about puting a 150% tax on Brics folks at one time but he only seems to verbally attack the bad buys while giving them ammunition to do whatever they want against the US.  What a negotiator.  I see now that Putin demands even more sanction relief before joining in the LIMITED ceasefire.  

[hotchilli]

23 hours ago, webfact said:

The wheels of Thailand's car industry are grinding slower as President Trump mulls harsh tariffs on imported vehicles. The proposed 25% levy, expected from April 2, has spread a chilling effect across global car markets

What tariffs does Thailand put on foreign car imports... what goes around comes around.

[Presnock]

4 minutes ago, jvs said:

If some one decides to build a car factory in the US ,there are many things to consider.

Firstly,you can not start building and selling cars tomorrow.

Building a large factory will take 2 years and a whole lot of money.

What can change in two years?

Flip flop tariffs,may or may not last ,may or may not go up or down.

Trump may be gone for a number of reasons.

Those cars will be only sold in the US because other countries will be putting tariffs on that also.

It is a mess and it will only get messier.

Trump is going to destroy the US economy,well you get what you voted for but almost the same amount of people voted against him and every one now has to deal with the consequences.

A lot of countries are looking to buy arms elsewhere now.

Not soon but very soon some people will get very tired of winning i can assure you.

I said it before,how long can you keep defending the undefendable?

US citizens ,start paying off your credit while you still can,you could be homeless in six months.(then donald will put you in a camp for your own good)

 

and this latest security snafu with amateur Secretaries of the various agencies makes me wonder more just how many of these SIGNAL chats these IDIOTS have had since assuming head of that department?

[hotsun]

1 minute ago, hotchilli said:

What tariffs does Thailand put on foreign car imports... what goes around comes around.

Exactly. The chickens are coming home to roost

[NobbyClarke]

IMO it would be a good idea if the Thai manufacturers sold cars made in Thailand to Thailand people at a reasonable price.

[Nairbem]

23 hours ago, dinsdale said:

300% tariff on vehicles imported into Thailand. Not sure what the tariff is on Chinese cars but I'll be my left nut it's not 300%. 

Any takers 👀 on the bet? 

[Peterphuket]

56 minutes ago, renaissanc said:

Trump's tariff is 25%. Accept it. Either accept it or invest in a car plant in the USA. Can you sell more cars in Thailand? I see the prices of cars rise each year. 4-door pick-up trucks cost a fortune now. They are also made with flimsy metal or whatever the material is nowadays. If you crash, you're either dead or severely injured. My Isuzu Spacecab is 25 years old. It's made of heavy steel. Lifting up the bonnet is a strong man's job. I'll drive it until it's 30 years old because I feel safe in it. Then I'll buy an old car, I expect, because in 5 years cars will probably be made of plastic or thin aluminium.

Yet you are not quite right in this, 20 years ago a car repairer in Phuket already showed me the difference of a bumper construction, of Honda made in LOS and elsewhere.
There was a big difference, to the detriment of those made in Thailand.