Thailand boosts exports of rubber products amid COVID-19
Thailand is maintaining exports of rubber products and processed rubber as global demand surges, particularly for those relating to protective gear against COVID-19 such as rubber gloves and synthetic rubber used to make such gloves.
A rubber plantation in Soeng Sang district of Nakhon Ratchasima. (Source: Bangkok Post)
Bangkok (VNA) – Thailandis maintaining exports of rubber products and processed rubber as global demandsurges, particularly for those relating to protective gear against COVID-19 suchas rubber gloves and synthetic rubber used to make such gloves.
Auramon Supthaweethum, Director-General of theTrade Negotiations Department under the Ministry of Commerce, said Thailand'soutbound shipments of rubber products and processed rubber in the form offinished products such as auto tyres, rubber gloves, resistance bands andrubber bands rose 10 percent in the first two months of 2020 to 1.97 billionUSD.
Free trade agreements (FTAs) were one of thereasons behind higher shipments, she said, adding that Thailand has 13 FTAs inplace with 18 countries and territories, with 14 no longer collecting importtariffs on Thai rubber products, including the Association of Southeast AsianNations (ASEAN), Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Peru and Hong Kong.
Four countries, namely China, the Republic of Korea, India andChile, are maintaining import tariffs on some rubber products.
In 2019, Thailand exported 5.14 billion USD worth of rubberproducts to the countries and territories with which it has signed FTAs.
Last year, Thailand was the world’sfourth-largest exporter of rubber products and processed rubber, after China,Germany and the US, with total exportsof 11.23 billion USD, a year-on-year rise of 2 percent./.
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A rubber plantation in Soeng Sang district of Nakhon Ratchasima. (Source: Bangkok Post) 
