Thailand’s steel producers have called on the government to strengthen measures against imports of steel produced using induction furnace (IF) technology, warning that persistent inflows of lower-cost products continue to undermine the domestic industry, according to the local media reports.
The EAF Long Product Steel Producers Association said it is in discussions with Thailand’s Commerce Ministry on measures to tighten controls on imported IF steel as well as domestically produced IF material.
Ten Thai steel associations have jointly proposed requiring government-funded infrastructure projects to use locally produced steel, while also calling for stronger enforcement of product standards, stricter certification procedures and tighter environmental oversight.
According to the association, Thailand has an annual steel production capacity of around 11 mln tons, comprising 40pct electric arc furnace (EAF) production, 40pct induction furnace (IF) production and 20pct imports. However, industry capacity utilization has remained at only 30pct since 2017, highlighting the pressure from imported steel.
Steel consumption in Thailand increased to 18.5 mln tons last year from 16.5 mln tons in 2024, supported mainly by demand for long steel products. The association expects steel consumption to grow by a further 5pct this year, driven by government infrastructure and reconstruction projects, although private sector demand is expected to remain subdued amid economic uncertainty.
Industry representatives warned that without stronger trade and procurement measures, continued imports of lower-priced steel could further weaken Thailand’s domestic steel sector despite improving consumption.