U.S. tariffs under the Trump administration are hitting BRICS countries far harder than ASEAN nations.
This is according to Dr. Anusorn Thammajai, dean of economics at the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce.
According to Anusorn, BRICS exporters—particularly China, India, and Brazil—now face tariffs of up to 50–55%, impacting major sectors such as agriculture, textiles, automobiles, electronics, and machinery. In contrast, ASEAN countries benefit from significantly lower rates: Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Cambodia pay around 19%, Singapore enjoys the lowest at 10%, and Vietnam faces just over 20%. Laos and Myanmar are exceptions, with higher rates of 40–50%.
This widening tariff gap is expected to give ASEAN producers a competitive edge in the U.S. market and could even encourage manufacturers to shift production from BRICS nations to ASEAN. Thailand and Indonesia are particularly well-positioned in natural and automotive rubber products; Vietnam in bicycle tires; Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia in synthetic rubber; and Thailand and Malaysia in industrial rubber goods.
