DFT set to be sole issuer of COs for US-bound exports

The Department of Foreign Trade (DFT), on April 9, 2025, convened a meeting with the Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) and the Thai Chamber of Commerce (TCC) to discuss stricter protocols for issuing Certificates of Origin (General Form CO) for export products on the watchlist—particularly those destined for the United States.

The discussion centred on the US government's growing concern over the alleged misrepresentation of Thai origin in exports.

In response, the DFT proposed that it become the sole agency authorised to issue General Form COs for 49 specific goods identified on the US watchlist, out of a total of 58 items flagged for risk, 49 for the US market and 9 for the European Union. 

This measure aims to strengthen trust with international trade partners and minimise the risk of origin fraud.

Should the FTI and TCC support the proposed framework, the matter will be escalated to the Cabinet for final approval.

The watchlist of products, as announced by the DFT in 2023 and effective from January 1, 2024, includes the following items for US-bound exports:

49 Watchlist Products for US Export Oversight:

Honey

Rubber hoses and tubes (vulcanised rubber, excluding hard rubber)

Passenger car and truck tires

Other pneumatic tires

Engineered wood flooring

Plywood

Woodcraft and processed wood products

Canvas fabric

Quartz surface products

Nonwoven fiberglass materials (mattresses, boards, etc.)

Carbon and alloy steel wire

Seamless steel pipes and hollow profiles (excluding cast iron)

Certain cold-drawn steel pipes

Welded circular carbon steel pipes

Wrought iron articles

Stainless steel containers (e.g. beer kegs)

Certain iron nails

Steel fasteners (screws, bolts, nuts, etc.) with diameter under 6 mm

Other steel fasteners

Springs

Sinks

Clothes hangers

Aluminum extrusions

Aluminum foil

Aluminum wire and cable

All types of saw blades and basic metal components

Staple wire made of steel

Certain vertical shaft engines (99cc–225cc) and parts

Water pump components

Combined refrigerator-freezers with separate external doors

Machining centers and metalworking machinery

Hard disk drives (HDDs)

Printed circuit components for ADP machines (HS code 8471)

Crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells and modules

Single-phase AC motors

Digital still video cameras

Relays (≤60V) for switching/protecting circuits

Insulated winding wire (excluding copper)

Vehicle body parts and accessories

Brakes and servo-brakes, including components

Gearboxes and parts

Drive axles and related components

Wheels and related parts, and accessories

Steel wheels

Certain chassis and sub-components

Mattresses

Cabinets and wooden vanities, and their parts

Cushions, pillows, and similar furniture