*

South Korea's stocks fall 2%

*

Thai stocks hit over a week low, baht weakens 0.4%

Thailand suspends trading activity after Myanmar earthquake

*

Singapore's Straits Times index breaches 4,000 level

*

Indonesian markets closed till April 7

(Updates as of 0700 GMT)

By Sameer Manekar

March 28 (Reuters) - Most Asian emerging market stocks

declined on Friday on worries over U.S. tariffs, with equities

in South Korea and Thailand particularly hit as the new U.S.

auto levies dented car and auto parts makers.

Thailand's benchmark index fell to its lowest in

over a week and the baht slipped 0.4%, as Southeast

Asia's biggest auto production centre and an export base for top

car makers stood exposed to the new U.S. auto duties.

"The U.S.'s higher import tariffs on automobiles and auto

parts will weigh further on Thailand's ailing economy via an

additional drag on the automotive sector," said Charnon

Boonnuch, an ASEAN economist at Nomura.

Boonnuch also noted that the reciprocal and auto sector

tariffs announced were a downside risk to Thailand's growth

outlook.

The Stock Exchange of Thailand suspended all afternoon

trading activities and went on a full halt after an earthquake

struck neighbouring Myanmar and people rushed out of buildings

in panic in Bangkok.

South Korea's KOSPI tumbled more than 2% in its

second straight day of losses, dragged lower by sharp losses in

Hyundai Motor ( HYMTF ) and sister automaker Kia Corp ( KIMTF )

.

The index has lost more than 3% over the past two sessions

as the two automakers lost billions of dollars in value.

South Korea' won and Taiwan's dollar

slipped around 0.2% each.

Malaysia's ringgit, Singapore's dollar, and

the Philippine peso edged lower.

U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff salvos since he took

office in January have sent emerging Asian markets into a tizzy,

resulting in heavy outflows from Southeast Asian equities.

Stocks in Indonesia and Thailand have lost

8% and 15.6%, respectively, in the quarter. The Indonesian

rupiah is set for a near 3% decline.

Singapore remained a bright spot as its stock market

marched towards its fourth consecutive quarter in the black,

highlighting the resilience of the financial and trading hub.

On the day, the city-state's Straits Times index (STI)

rose as much as 0.6% to breach the 4,000-level for the

first time ever, though it pared gains in the afternoon to trade

largely flat.

"Breaking this level suggests a strengthening sentiment, but

sustaining it would depend on global stability and market

fundamentals," said Daphne Tan, Director of Business Development

at CMC Markets Singapore.

Analysts expect trade-reliant Southeast Asian economies to

face limited direct impact from tariffs but note their

vulnerability to reciprocal U.S. duties, and slower growth in

the global economy and key trading partners.

Indonesia's financial markets, will be closed

for a national holiday till April 7. Markets in Malaysia,

Singapore, and India will also be closed on March 31.

HIGHLIGHTS:

** Singapore's DBS Group scales all-time high

during session

** Malaysia's 10-year bond yield hovers at

3-week high of 3.779%

** Indonesia's Widjaja family offers to take Sinarmas Land

private in $986 million deal

** Hegseth reaffirms ironclad US commitment to the

Philippines to enhance threat deterrence

Asia stock

indexes and

currencies

as of 0700

GMT

COUNTRY FX FX FX INDEX STOCKS STOCKS

RIC DAILY % YTD % DAILY % YTD %

Japan +0.31 +4.38 -1.80 -6.95

China -0.02 +0.49 -0.54 0.11

India +0.20 +0.01 0.01 -0.21

Indonesia - -2.81 - -8.04

Malaysia -0.02 +0.86 -0.56 -7.02

Philippines +0.02 +1.25 0.13 -5.84

S.Korea -0.11 +0.41 -1.89 6.61

Singapore -0.10 +1.83 -0.13 4.99

Taiwan -0.13 -1.10 -1.59 -6.22

Thailand -0.24 +1.21 -1.11 -16.11

(Reporting by Sameer Manekar in Bengaluru; Additional reporting

by Ankur Banerjee in Singapore; Editing by Janane Venkatraman

)