Thai air-con component exports to US soar amid heat wave surge

Rising heat waves in the United States have driven a surge in Thailand’s exports of air-conditioner components during the first quarter. The increase in demand has led to air-conditioner parts becoming the top product category benefiting from the generalised system of preferences (GSP) privileges awarded by the US.

The Foreign Trade Department reported that Thai exporters utilised GSP privileges worth US$819 million in the first three months of 2023, a 9.93% decrease from the same period last year. The US remained the largest market for Thai exporters using GSP privileges, followed by Switzerland, Norway, and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

“Air-conditioning components remained the leading product category benefiting from GSP privileges,…