Despite US efforts to impose tariffs, Thai exports to America expanded over the first nine months of the fiscal year, up by nearly 34% year-on-year for a value of 2.13 trillion baht.
In contrast, exports to China grew by only 0.78%, totalling 1 trillion baht.
According to the Customs Department's trade statistics, for the first nine months of the fiscal year (Oct 1 to June 30), Thailand's total trade value (imports and exports combined) tallied 19 trillion baht, rising from 11 trillion year-on-year.
Imports totalled 10.2 trillion baht, increasing by 23% in baht terms and 30% in US dollar terms. Exports amounted to 8.8 trillion baht, rising by 8.4% in baht terms and 14% in dollar terms.
Phantong Loykulnanta, director-general of the department, said among Thailand's key trading partners, the US stood out with export growth of 33.7%, bringing total exports to 2.13 trillion baht. Major export products included telecom equipment, electronic components and tyres. Imports from the US reached 610 billion baht, up 22%.
Meanwhile, imports from China surged by 30% to 3.1 trillion baht, while exports to China edged up 0.78% to 1 trillion baht.
Regarding revenue collection, Mr Phantong said the department is the frontline agency responsible for collecting import duties, value-added tax (VAT), excise tax, and interior tax.
During the first nine months of the fiscal year, the department collected 476 billion baht in revenue, up 31.1 billion baht or 7% year-on-year.
Full-year revenue is projected to exceed 600 billion baht, surpassing the 596 billion baht collected in the previous fiscal year.
One noteworthy development was the sharp decline in Thailand's average import tariff rate, he said. For every 100 baht worth of imports, the department collects only 83 satang in import duties due to free trade agreements with Japan, China, and Asean member states, as well as investment promotion policies under the Board of Investment (BoI), with BoI privileges increasing by nearly 40% over the period.
However, the decline in import duty revenue was offset by stronger VAT collections, which have risen in line with higher import values. During the first nine months, VAT revenue increased by 8.4% to 308 billion baht.
Mr Phantong said the department's digital transformation has driven trade growth by creating a system that strengthens Thailand's competitiveness. Key initiatives include the National Single Window and digitalising paper-based documentation, which includes the electronic Delivery Order system, reducing cargo release processing times from three hours to less than one minute.
Other measures include pre-arrival processing, which allows importers to pay duties before vessels or goods arrive in Thailand, and artificial intelligence (AI)-powered risk management, which reduced the share of shipments subject to discretionary physical inspections by customs officers from 30-40% to just 15%.
AI and algorithms are now used to assess risk, allowing more than 85% of shipments to be cleared through the Green Line for faster processing.
Mr Phantong said this policy has not only improved the flow of goods through ports, but also helped curb the solicitation of illicit payments in exchange for approving cargo container inspections, resulting in a marked improvement in the agency's transparency and public image.
He said the department supports trade by facilitating customs procedures and adopting modern technologies, contributing to growth in both Thailand's trade value and government tax revenue.
