Nation Thailand
Thailand rules out security-tariff trade-off before Hegseth visit
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Thailand’s Defence Ministry has ruled out linking security cooperation with the United States to negotiations over tariffs, insisting that national security, sovereignty and public safety cannot be used as bargaining tools.
Key facts
- Defence Ministry spokesman Rear Admiral Surasant Kongsiri said on Monday (August 17) that both the Thai government and US officials had confirmed the two issues would remain separate.
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- The visit could include the signing of the Joint Vision Statement 2026, or JVS 2026, which is intended to provide the next framework for Thai-US defence cooperation and replace the existing version.
Summary
Defence Ministry spokesman Rear Admiral Surasant Kongsiri said on Monday (August 17) that both the Thai government and US officials had confirmed the two issues would remain separate.
His comments followed questions over whether recent visits by senior US defence officials could be connected to Thailand’s tariff negotiations with Washington.