Trump's tariff war puts Thailand's steel industry in a 'critical situation'

On March 17, Thai steelmakers are asking the government for more protections as U.S. President Donald Trump's import tariffs sparked global concerns about finding other markets for surplus metals. Earlier this week, Trump imposed a 25% tariff on U.S. steel imports, raising concerns among steelmakers around the world. The Steel Industry Club, which is affiliated with the Federation of Thai Industries, said Thailand's leaders should prevent the country's producers from suffering more losses. "We are helpless and the government is our only hope," Pongthep Thepbangchag, the club's vice president, said in an interview in Bangkok last week. He said Thailand's steel industry was already in a critical situation with slow economic growth, weak consumption and cheap supply.