Trump is a first class muppet...

12 hours ago, webfact said:

The government is instead launching a 200 billion baht (£4.5 billion) soft loan scheme to support private sectors and farmers.

Easier to skim than tariffs.

 

7 hours ago, connda said:

Thailand doesn't want a "Free Market."  They want to impose tariffs on others in the name of domestic protectionism while demanding that other countries, like the US, to not levy tariffs on Thailand's products. They want the unfair advantage that they have enjoyed for years to remain.

Global trade should be a level playing field but it's not.  I may not like what Trump is doing, but I understand it and Thailand is a prime example of a country seeking to impose tariffs on US products while enjoying tariff-free exports themselves. 
Read 'em and weep.  Those days are over. 
It would be better to take a zero tariff stance and then subside their farmers.  Instead they are going to enter an unwinnable trade war with the US and they still will subside their farmers. 

What is it actually what Thailand could import from US. ?

 

6 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

What is it actually what Thailand could import from US. ?

 

Coca-Cola?

7 hours ago, connda said:

What is stupid is the why Thai farmers grow crops.  Somchai grows lamyai and makes money.  So all the farmers in Somchai region grow Lamyai driving the price to Lamyai bought by middlemen to absurdly low levels.  Small farmers need to really begin to get smart.  Grow what other are not growing. Work with other farmers in cooperatives to cut out the middlemen and sell directly to corporate buyers and leverage the power of the cooperative. If regional farmers all bail in to the same freaking crops - move to a different crop. Control supply and distribution or die. 

I tend to agree especially when it comes to rice, which is one of the most horrific crops on the planet for the farmer, it virtually ensures a lifetime of poverty. 

 

There are a lot of creative crops that some of these farmers could be growing, including various hydroponic herbs, exotic varieties of mushrooms and all kinds of things that they can be marketing to higher end restaurants and distributors. 

8 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

The future here is Chocolate they should concentrate on that.

To be honest 

The best chocolate of my life I bought from a farm near Chiang Mai.

"Skugga"-farm

8 hours ago, ozfarang said:

That's the problem with Thailand. They have been imposing exorbitant import taxes for decades.

They think it's their god given right, or should I say buddha given right to charge these ridiculously high  taxes.

 

Then came along Donald J Trump to get in the way of their greed

Exorbitant import taxes? Thailand has FTA with Australia. Many Aussie products are import duty free.

 

"The Thailand-Australia Free Trade Agreement (TAFTA) has significantly benefited Australian wine exports by eliminating import tariffs. TAFTA, which came into effect on January 1, 2005, resulted in a zero tariff for Australian wine by 2015, giving it a competitive edge over many other wine-exporting nations."

7 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

I tend to agree especially when it comes to rice, which is one of the most horrific crops on the planet for the farmer, it virtually ensures a lifetime of poverty. 

 

There are a lot of creative crops that some of these farmers could be growing, including various hydroponic herbs, exotic varieties of mushrooms and all kinds of things that they can be marketing to higher end restaurants and distributors. 

"hydroponic herbs, exotic varieties of mushrooms and all kinds of things that they can be marketing"

 

Yes, I agree. I got a Thai friend with a restaurant in the town. Around his house he got loads of hydroponics. All for his Restaurant. Every fresh and clean

19 minutes ago, Look Chang said:

Coca-Cola?

In the meantime I ask Google.

Actually there is nothing what they could buy somewhere else:

machinery, mineral oils and fuels, industrial machinery, iron & steel, precious stones & metals, and plastics

During OKprevious decades, flood of heavily subsidised US crops to Central American regions are said have got many of their small scale   farmers out of business.

 

Trump attempting to do the same while obsessively "downsizing" own govt?

1 hour ago, gearbox said:

Exorbitant import taxes? Thailand has FTA with Australia. Many Aussie products are import duty free.

 

"The Thailand-Australia Free Trade Agreement (TAFTA) has significantly benefited Australian wine exports by eliminating import tariffs. TAFTA, which came into effect on January 1, 2005, resulted in a zero tariff for Australian wine by 2015, giving it a competitive edge over many other wine-exporting nations."

So why is Australian wine so expensive here in Thailand?

Big price difference compared to the retail price in Australia  for the same product

looks like that Ford Ranger isn't going to get any cheaper

Ok , so we are going to see Tariffs on imported goods from USA..

I would like to predict that any item that is imported and has the import tarriff reduced, will not show any price reduction at retail outlet.

 

the difference will be simply absorbed by the deep pockets of the people who need it the least.

24 minutes ago, ozfarang said:

So why is Australian wine so expensive here in Thailand?

Big price difference compared to the retail price in Australia  for the same product

The difference id due to the importer charging whatever he feels like and retailer having to oblige.

 

look at prices of imported liquor, for example american bourbon.

The prices charged are ridiculous.

and it is simply gouging by the importer.

2 hours ago, kimothai said:

I don't think Thailand gives a damn about its farmers.  If they cared at all they would work toward providing them with proper equipment and education to eliminate/minimize all this burning that goes on every year and thus cut down on all the pollution.  It won't eliminate the pollution due to other countries, but it would be better than the current nothing being done.

The pollution does not bother the farmers ... not one bit, in fact, they enjoy the burning ...  I think you are seeing the world through YOUR lens, not at all from the farmer perspective. 

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

I tend to agree esp.ecially when it comes to rice, which is one of the most horrific crops on the planet for the farmer, it virtually ensures a lifetime of poverty. 

 

There are a lot of creative crops that some of these farmers could be growing, including various hydroponic herbs, exotic varieties of mushrooms and all kinds of things that they can be marketing to higher end restaurants and distributors. 

Wonder whether switching to carnaroli risotto rice might be more profitable.  Still rice, so same expertise but has high price.  The major cost would be transport to markets in Europe, specifically Italy.  Might be more profitable.

1 minute ago, MarkBR said:

Wonder whether switching to carnaroli risotto rice might be more profitable.  Still rice, so same expertise but has high price.  The major cost would be transport to markets in Europe, specifically Italy.  Might be more profitable.

 

I can see why farmers are extremely reluctant to change what they do.....we live out in the sticks......life is hard, poverty is not crippling, but no one is going on foreign holidays.

 

They survive as long as each harvest is more or less guaranteed.....they are never going to risk gambling away what they have......

4 hours ago, JustinTyme said:

Are you aware of the massive farm subsidies that the USA pays its farmers, on top of all kinds of barriers to entry that prevent real competition??? About one-third of the nation's two million farms receive regular subsidies, although that ratio is higher for larger farms (READ: Corporate welfare for the largest "well connected" agricultural companies)  It is hilarious that farmers in Red Hats cry about "Socialism" while they accept government handouts and farm welfare.

Dummy, this not socialism. 

On 7/23/2025 at 4:56 AM, moose7117 said:

The difference id due to the importer charging whatever he feels like and retailer having to oblige.

 

look at prices of imported liquor, for example american bourbon.

The prices charged are ridiculous.

and it is simply gouging by the importer.

You mean, why does wine from Australia. 5,000 KM ++ from Thailand, that then has to pass customs, be put on trucks, and distributed to retail operations in Thailand cost more than it does in Australia?  Plus ... Thailand does charge VAT (Value Added Tax) on Australian wines, along with other taxes and duties upon import. The standard VAT rate in Thailand is 7%. Additionally, imported wines are subject to various other taxes, including excise taxes, municipal taxes, and health taxes. So, are you SURE " the importer charging whatever he feels like??" 555!!

(Pro Tip - "Google is your friend" )

5 minutes ago, Mike_Hunt said:

Dummy, this not socialism. 

Mike, if you took off your DJT glasses and read what I wrote, I did not say it was socialism.  I said, "It is hilarious that farmers in Red Hats cry about "Socialism" while they accept government handouts and farm welfare."  And yes, Socialism, Fascism, etc, are words "Red Hats" throw around all the time, and rarely, in a context that reflects what those words actually mean.

Anyway, extra "hair splitting" points for you today! 555!

2 hours ago, newbee2022 said:

What is it actually what Thailand could import from US. ?

 

 

You're asking the wrong question based on the trade imbalance.  But I'll answer anyway...  They could import muscle cars instead of Italian weenie mobiles, and genuine work pickups (F250's and Chevy 2500's) to augment the boy toys that are made in country.  Add a few F16s, and they may even close that imbalance.

 

The relevant question to your followup response is what does Thailand sell to the USA that couldn't be replaced by more reasonable trading partners?  Give you a hint...  Not much.

 

3 minutes ago, JustinTyme said:

Mike, if you took off your DJT glasses and read what I wrote, I did not say it was socialism.  I said, "It is hilarious that farmers in Red Hats cry about "Socialism" while they accept government handouts and farm welfare."  And yes, Socialism, Fascism, etc, are words "Red Hats" throw around all the time, and rarely, in a context that reflects what those words actually mean.

Anyway, extra "hair splitting" points for you today! 555!

 

Cool story bro, but Socialism and fascism are tossed out all the time by your ilk. 

23 minutes ago, JustinTyme said:

The pollution does not bother the farmers ... not one bit, in fact, they enjoy the burning ...  I think you are seeing the world through YOUR lens, not at all from the farmer perspective. 

It's what contributes to making Thailand a 3rd world country.

27 minutes ago, JustinTyme said:

The pollution does not bother the farmers ... not one bit, in fact, they enjoy the burning ...  I think you are seeing the world through YOUR lens, not at all from the farmer perspective. 

 

They simply have no (sensible) choice to be fair, other than to burn..........and the cost of equipment supplied to individual farmers would astronomical.

 

The solution is all sugarcane must be delivered with the leaves intact and stripped at the sugarcane processing facilities. The leaves can then be processed/mulched rather than burned.

2 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

You're asking the wrong question based on the trade imbalance.  But I'll answer anyway...  They could import muscle cars instead of Italian weenie mobiles, and genuine work pickups to augment the boy toys that are made in country.  Add a few F16s, and they may even close that imbalance.

 

The relevant question to your followup response is what does Thailand sell to the USA that couldn't be replaced by more reasonable trading partners?  Give you a hint...  Not much.

 

I don't know where you live, or if you actually live in Thailand, because where I live (North East) it is nothing BUT pick up trucks, and not small ones.  Even in a decade in Bangkok, there were plenty of trucks, and of all the cars I have seen ... millions ... can't remember one Italian car ... except Ferrari and  Lamborghini ... and if those are your idea of "Italian weenie mobiles" ... seek professional help.  555!

12 minutes ago, Mike_Hunt said:

 

Cool story bro, but Socialism and fascism are tossed out all the time by your ilk. 

Oooooh! The "I'm rubber you're glue defense!"  Nice!  We are checking all the boxes! 555!

16 minutes ago, JustinTyme said:

I don't know where you live, or if you actually live in Thailand, because where I live (North East) it is nothing BUT pick up trucks, and not small ones.

 

They don't look small until you see one parked up next to a real work truck.

 

BTW, I drove a "midsize" pickup when I worked in Bangkok.  It was about the same size as the smallest Ford Ranger mini-truck back in the USA.

 

14 minutes ago, JustinTyme said:

millions ... can't remember one Italian car ... except Ferrari and  Lamborghini ... and if those are your idea of "Italian weenie mobiles"

 

I always get a kick out of the Top Gear episodes where they run one of those million dollar weenie mobiles on the course and it overheats (and so do the brakes) because they weren't really engineered, except to be eye candy.  And they have a horrible reputation for spending a lot of idle time down at Enzo's garage.

 

But that's another topic for another day...  This one is about tariffs.

 

 

 

 

26 minutes ago, impulse said:

 

You're asking the wrong question based on the trade imbalance.  But I'll answer anyway...  They could import muscle cars instead of Italian weenie mobiles, and genuine work pickups (F250's and Chevy 2500's) to augment the boy toys that are made in country.  Add a few F16s, and they may even close that imbalance.

 

The relevant question to your followup response is what does Thailand sell to the USA that couldn't be replaced by more reasonable trading partners?  Give you a hint...  Not much.

 

In the meantime I ask Google.

 

Actually there is nothing what they could buy somewhere else:

 

machinery, mineral oils and fuels, industrial machinery, iron & steel, precious stones & metals, and plastics

10 hours ago, connda said:

Thailand doesn't want a "Free Market."  They want to impose tariffs on others in the name of domestic protectionism while demanding that other countries, like the US, to not levy tariffs on Thailand's products. They want the unfair advantage that they have enjoyed for years to remain.

Global trade should be a level playing field but it's not.  I may not like what Trump is doing, but I understand it and Thailand is a prime example of a country seeking to impose tariffs on US products while enjoying tariff-free exports themselves. 
Read 'em and weep.  Those days are over. 
It would be better to take a zero tariff stance and then subside their farmers.  Instead they are going to enter an unwinnable trade war with the US and they still will subside their farmers. 

Trump no want impose extra taxes for imported goods.

He likes equal tax tariffs for import/export.

The assimetric taxation bleeding off the USA's economy