NOTIFICATION UNDER ARTICLE 12.1(A) OF THE
AGREEMENT ON
SAFEGUARDS ON INITIATION OF AN INVESTIGATION
AND THE REASONS FOR IT
Thailand
Polypropylene
The following communication, dated and received
on 8 September 2025, is being circulated at the request of the delegation of Thailand.
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A petition of a
safeguard investigation pursuant to Section 13 of the
Safeguard Measures on
Increased Imports Act B.E. 2550 (2007) was
lodged by the domestic industry (HMC Polymers
Company Limited, Thai Polyethylene Company Limited, and IRPC Public Company Limited). Following due consideration of
its petition, the Department of Foreign Trade, the
Ministry of Commerce of
Thailand has issued the notification of a safeguard
investigation on imports of Polypropylene, dated 29 August 2025.
To this end, Thailand hereby notifies the Committee on Safeguards of the
above-mentioned initiation.
1. Date of initiation
The notification of the safeguard investigation was published in
the Royal Thai Government Gazette on 3 September B.E. 2568 (2025).
2. Product under consideration
The product under consideration is Polypropylene. It is currently
classifiable under the Thai Customs Tariff Code at subheadings: 3902.10.30.001 3902.10.30.090 3902.10.40.001
3902.10.40.090 3902.10.90.001 3902.10.90.090 3902.30.30.001 3902.30.30.090
3902.30.90.001 3902.30.90.090 and 3902.90.90.000.
3. Reasons for the initiation of the
investigation
The
investigation was initiated following a petition made by HMC Polymers Company Limited, Thai
Polyethylene Company Limited, and IRPC Public Company Limited whose collective
output constitutes a domestic industry of the like product in Thailand.
The
petitioner has provided sufficient evidence of a surge in imports of the
product concerned showing that the volume has increased in absolute terms from
228,365 tons in 2020 to 390,583 tons in 2023 or increase by 71.03%. It has
continued to significantly rise up from 297,871 tons to 351,764 tons or
increase by 18.09% when comparing the first three quarters of 2024 and 2025.
Meanwhile, based on a preliminary assessment on the situation of
the domestic industry concerned, and the rate and amount of the increase in
imports of the product under consideration, it was found that the increased imports have caused or threaten to cause
serious injury to the domestic industry. Such serious injury is reflected in
the form of decline in domestic market share, sales volume, production, and capacity utilization, as well as an increase
in losses.
4. Deadlines and procedures
All
relevant importers, exporters and any other interested parties wishing to
present evidences, documents, views or comments pertaining to the investigation
shall submit the aforementioned information in writing to the Department of Foreign
Trade, Ministry of Commerce of Thailand, latest on 24 September 2025 before 16:30 ICT
(GMT+7). Except for the exporters and any interested parties situated outside
Thailand, the deadline for presentation of evidence, documents and views would
be on 1 October 2025.
5. Requests and contact regarding the
investigation
The
copy of a non-confidential version of the petition (Thai version) and the
updated information concerning the investigation are available on the website https://thaitr.dft.go.th/en/search/SG1008
Interested
parties wishing to raise questions regarding the above-mentioned proceedings or
to request for information should contact the following address:
Trade Interests and
Remedies Division, Department of Foreign Trade
Ministry
of Commerce of Thailand
563
Nonthaburi Road, Bangkasor, Nonthaburi 11000 THAILAND
Telephone:
(662) 547-4738
Email: mailto:thaitr.g3@gmail.com
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