Thai DUI products face stricter controls amid global conflicts

The Foreign Trade Department, under Thailand’s Commerce Ministry, announced its plans to tighten control measures over goods linked to weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and dual-use items (DUI). The Thai DUI products refer to goods that can serve both commercial and military applications. The decision, formulated in response to escalating global conflicts, aims to bolster international trust in Thai products.

Ronnarong Phoolpipat, the Director-General of the Foreign Trade Department, commented on the move.

“With ongoing unrest in various regions around the world, along with growing regional tensions resulting from various factors that have led to severe conflicts, there have been adverse effects on the economies and trade of many countries, including Thailand.”

The tightened control measures, he explains, are designed to prevent commercial goods from being misused for destructive purposes. This is particularly crucial given the extensive turmoil in the region.

Thailand enforced a law to control WMD and associated items in 2020. This law enables the Commerce Ministry to set measures including licensing, self-certification, and others for supervising products linked to WMD and DUI.

However, Thailand has not yet enforced the licensing requirement for DUI products, which is seen as a key measure under this law. Given the escalation of multiple global conflicts, the department now deems licensing necessary to ensure the secure supervision of Thai DUI products and to minimise the risk of them being used for production or transferred to harmful groups.

This licensing measure is deemed highly effective and is widely accepted by many countries. Major trading and investment partners such as the US, EU, Japan, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Australia have also adopted this measure reported Bangkok Post.

Addressing potential concerns of exporters, Ronnarong said that while exporters may need time to familiarise themselves with the regulations and guidelines initially, the department believes that they will eventually benefit from these widely accepted measures.

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