Thai Commerce Minister Discusses Trade Reform and SME Growth with WTO Director-General

Key summary

On October 16, 2026, Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Supachai Jaidan received World Trade Organization (WTO) Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala during her visit to Bangkok for the 2026 IMF–World Bank Group Annual Meetings. The two leaders discussed global trade conditions, Thailand's competitiveness, export market diversification, SME promotion, digital trade, and WTO reform. While Thai exports grew by 18.9% in the first eight months of 2026 driven by semiconductors and AI technology, Minister Supachai noted that domestic value addition remains critical, with SMEs currently contributing only 12–14% to export value. Both sides emphasized strengthening multilateral trade systems under the WTO, diversifying markets through Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) including those with the European Union and the United Arab Emirates, and advancing digital economy frameworks like the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA). The WTO Director-General commended Thailand's diverse economic structure and supported its efforts to enhance domestic production value while adhering to WTO rules. Specific recommendations included exploring trade finance and supply chain finance collaborations via the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to improve SME access to capital, as well as educational partnerships to build entrepreneur capacity.