Small Thai firms at risk from cheap Chinese goods

A revived US-China trade war as a result of US President Donald Trump's tariffs is placing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) at risk as the dispute between the world's largest economies will intensify the influx of cheap Chinese products into the Thai market, says the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI).

- LAMONPHET APISITNIRAN

Local manufacturers are not only concerned about the impact of stiff US tariffs on Thai exports, but also realised sales in the country is flooded with Chinese imports.

"Chinese goods are 20-40% less expensive than Thai goods," said ML Peekthong Thongyai, vice-chairman of the FTI, referring to a recent FTI poll.

A total of 45% of 540 executives members of the FTI said this price gap was noticeable when Thai and Chinese products are compared. Some 21.1% of respondents said Chinese imports were only 10-20% cheaper.