International Trade Law News

The U.S. and Thailand recently completed the fourth round of negotiations on the U.S.-Thailand Free-Trade Agreement (FTA) and hope to conclude the FTA in early 2006. The next round of negotiations is scheduled to be held in late September.

Total trade between the U.S. and Thailand was $24 billion in 2004, up nearly 11 percent from the previous year and nearly doubling in the last decade. U.S. goods exports totaled $6.4 billion, an increase of 10.3% since 2003. Exports of Thai goods to the United States grew 15.8% in 2004 to $17.6 billion. U.S. services exports to Thailand totaled $1.1 billion in 2003 (the latest available data), while Thailand's exports of services to the U.S. were $739 million. The stock of U.S. foreign direct investment in Thailand in 2003 was $7.4 billion, making the U.S. the largest foreign investor in Thailand.