US tariffs on Thai exports: current rate and a new Section 301 risk (2026)

Impact

US imports from Thailand currently carry a 12.5% tariff under Section 301, effective July 24, 2026, replacing the 10% Section 122 tariff (itself a 150-day emergency measure that took over after the US Supreme Court struck down the administration's IEEPA tariff authority on February 20, 2026, ending the earlier 36% IEEPA rate). About 61.6% of Thai exports to the US (roughly $56.2 billion of $91.255 billion in 2025 exports) are exempt, either listed under Annex II Part A or already covered by existing Section 232 duties (car tires, truck tires, machinery). Separately, a new Section 301 investigation into Thailand — public comments closed July 15, 2026, with a decision point on July 24, 2026 — is examining forced-labor practices in fisheries/seafood and suspected transshipment/excess-capacity issues in electronics, steel, rubber, and auto parts, with combined tariffs reportedly reaching up to 25% for named sectors if action is taken.

What Shippers Should Do

Verify the current tariff and exemption status by HTS code before every shipment — do not rely on last month's or last year's rate, especially for seafood, electronics, steel, rubber, and auto-parts exports that fall within the still-open investigation's scope. Work with a licensed customs broker to document any Section 232 exemption claim, and build tariff-rate volatility into landed-cost planning, since Section 301 tariffs have no built-in expiration the way the Section 122 measure did.