A coalition of seven steel associations in Thailand have called on the government to support more trade barriers to protect the domestic market. Thailand is already enjoying a decline in Chinese exports so far this year however, Kallanish notes.

The delegation, led by the Thai Hot Rolled Steel Manufacturers’ Association, notes that existing trade barriers have often been circumvented by trading companies, especially those selling steel from China. It has asked the government to announce countermeasures to ensure that duties cannot be so easily avoided. Detailing new civil and criminal measures would also give these countermeasures more weight, the association adds.

Thailand has increasingly been protecting its market from steel imports from several countries. In December it increased duties on Chinese wire rod, and it has also been investigating imports from Vietnam. China’s steel exports to Thailand increased 31.79% in 2016 to 6.23 million tonnes, but in the first quarter of 2017 exports to Thailand were down -51.09% to just 821,069t.

Japan however is enjoying a surge in exports to the country however, helped by the Japan Thailand Economic Partnership Agreement. This brought an end to quotas on Japanese steel at the start of the year.