Thai solar panel manufacturers win US reprieve

Thai solar cell exports have a brighter outlook for at least two years after the Biden administration on Monday announced a two-year pause on imposing any new tariffs on such products made in Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia and Vietnam.

Pitak Udomwichaiwat, director-general of the Foreign Trade Department, said the US president’s decision is good news for Thai solar cell producers and exporters, who will now avoid any new import tariffs until 2024.

According to Commerce Ministry data, Thailand’s solar cell exports have expanded continuously, with the key markets comprising the US, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Japan and mainland China.

In 2021, Thailand shipped US$1.07 billion worth of solar cells to the US, making up 49.1% of the country’s total solar cell exports.

In the first four months of 2022, solar cell exports to the US tallied $325 million, accounting for 63.5% of…