Thailand: Levy on Chinese steel extended for a year

10/10/2011 12:00 - 380 Views

The Commerce Ministry has decided to impose a 13.9-per-cent anti-dumping duty on steel imports from China for another year.

Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong said the government would extend the period for imposing the anti-dumping duty for another year in order to ensure the competitiveness of Thai steel manufacturers.

The decision was made after the earlier period of imposing anti-dumping duty of 27.81 per cent on H-shaped steel imports from China ended.
Kittiratt said the government had decided to cut the duty by half as some users want the government to eliminate the tariff in order to reduce the cost of construction.

However, some Thai steel-makers said they would face difficulty in competing with Chinese steel if the government scraps the duty entirely.
Thailand will take another year to reconsider whether to extend the tariff or cancel the measure, he said.

Thailand had imposed anti-dumping duty on steel imports from China for eight years, which expired yesterday.

The move to extend the duty came following a plea from Siam Yamato Steel, a Thai steel-maker. The company is worried about Chinese dumping, which would destroy the competitiveness of Thai steel-makers.

October 10, 2011 6:04 am
By Petchanet Pratruangkrai
Source: The Nation