OPINION

Tariff trap

Re: "Trump tariffs hammer global stocks, dollar and oil", (BP, April 4).

Trump's tariffs, when put in the context of comparative market prices, are quite interesting. A US-produced General Motors Corvette Stingray C8Z06 costs $115,000 (4 million baht) in the US. The same car costs $378,000 in Austria. Although their import tariffs are absurdly high, the EU also taxes its own products quite heavily, owing to massively bloated bureaucracy and a repressive regulatory environment for all businesses except government public-private partnerships, NGOs, EVs, and sustainable energy.

Let's consider importing a new US-made vehicle to Thailand. Import duty is up to 200%. Excise tax is calculated on engine displacement. VAT is 7% of the final price. Customs clearance fees are an unknown gray area amount. Add freight, storage fees, and agent's fees. The final cost will be astronomical and comparable to the EU. That is why one never sees a new Corvette here.

Finally, let's use the current Thai PM as an example of what establishing a fair and equitable tariff regime would mean for the wealthy. Ms Paetongtarn owns 200 designer handbags worth $2 million, 23 vehicles, including a Bentley and a Rolls-Royce, and 75 luxury watches worth $5 million. Under a revised tariff system, she may see a huge, almost instantaneous devaluation of her assets, as will the rest of the elite of Thailand. We know well who is in charge here and I would not hold out much hope for a successful negotiation as conducted by the current government vis-a-vis the Trump administration.

Re: "Govt to buy more from US", (BP, April 7).

We could not respond as quickly as Vietnam to Trump's reciprocal tax announcement. However, if the US reciprocates, it makes perfect sense for Thailand to offer zero import duties on US goods entering our country. This approach would effectively transform our bilateral trade with the US into a free trade agreement (FTA), which can only benefit our export business.

With an FTA, the value of goods relative to each economy becomes the primary factor in pricing and trade competitiveness. Given the economic disparities between our countries, Thai goods inherently cost less. By offering zero import duties on US products, we would comply with the principle of reciprocal tax rates established by President Trump, which encourages the US to also set its tax rate to zero, thereby reducing the landed price of Thai goods in the US. This would enhance the attractiveness of our exports to US consumers, increasing our export volumes and signaling our willingness to collaborate with the US to address its trade.

Re: "National checks find 34 buildings badly damaged", (BP, April 3).

In the welter of reporting on the surprising number of building inspections Thai authorities could conduct in the first two or three days following the collapse of the State Audit Office building, I read in BP that 34 buildings in Bangkok had been deemed unsafe for reoccupation.

Since then, I have not seen this statistic repeated in any of the media, though authorities are making much of the fact that the SAO building was the only one that collapsed. If anybody has more information on this topic, and the Post is prepared to print it, I would love to see it.

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