Thailand's currency fluctuations draw attention from the U.S. Department of the Treasury and are included in the exchange rate monitoring list

The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced on Thursday that it will deepen its oversight of global foreign exchange activities, focusing on countries attempting to intervene in currency fluctuations and prevent the depreciation of their currencies against the dollar. According to a report from Jin10 Data, the Treasury Department emphasized in its latest semi-annual currency report that from the second half of 2024 to the first half of 2025, despite the complex international trade environment, no major trading partner currently meets all three criteria for enhanced exchange rate policy analysis.

Thailand’s currency under close watch due to widening trade surplus

The U.S. Treasury’s decision to include Thailand in its key monitoring list is primarily due to the country’s continuously growing current account surplus and the persistent expansion of its trade surplus with the U.S. These economic indicators are viewed by Washington as potential signals of currency intervention. With Thailand’s inclusion, the U.S. Treasury’s monitoring list has now expanded to 10 economies, forming a framework that tracks major global trading partners.

Thailand joins Japan, South Korea, and others in the monitoring system

In addition to Thailand’s currency concerns, the U.S. Treasury’s monitoring list also includes traditional targets such as Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Ireland, and Switzerland. This move reflects the U.S.’s deep concern over global exchange rate stability and marks a more systematic approach to overseeing trade balance issues. For Thailand, being included in this list means its fiscal and exchange rate policies will face stricter international scrutiny, potentially influencing future policy decisions.