Public forum to be held on reviving Thai-European FTA talks

[webfact]

Public forum to be held on reviving Thai-European FTA talks

By The Nation

 

Auramon Supthaweethum

 

A seminar titled “Opportunity and challenges for Thailand in Thai-EU free trade agreement negotiations” was held in response to Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit’s decision to continue discussions with the European Union on the FTA, said Auramon Supthaweethum, director of the Department of International Trade Negotiations (DTN), after the opening speech at the seminar on Monday.

 

She said the DTN is studying the pros and cons of a trade agreement. The study is expected to wrap up in November.

 

The department will also talk to businesses, including farmers, and civil society to garner their opinions.

 

Auramon said the department held a similar session in August, but with only a small group of people. A public forum will be held in October and November.

 

The EU is a major market for Thailand as the bloc’s population is estimated at 512 million people, making it the kingdom’s fourth largest trading partner and second in the number of investors in the country, Auramon said.

 

FTA talks with the bloc were halted in 2014.

 

Thai exports to the EU were valued at $12.06 billion (Bt366 billion) from January to June this year, while imports touched $9.81 billion.

 

In 2018, Thailand’s exports to the EU totalled $25.04 billion. Computers and computer parts, electrical circuits, electronic products, gems and jewellery and air conditioners and related parts formed the bulk of exports. Meanwhile, Thailand’s imports from the bloc were valued at $22.24 billion last year, with the main products being machines and machine parts, aircraft, gliders, aviation equipment, electrical machinery and parts, chemicals, medicine, and pharmaceutical products.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30376607

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2019-09-24

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[AJBangkok]

Great sign it up. But somehow I doubt even if there is a FTA with europe the 300% tax on cars isn’t going away nor is the 200% duty on wine . What’s in it for the Europeans ?

[ChrisY1]

27 minutes ago, AJBangkok said:

Great sign it up. But somehow I doubt even if there is a FTA with europe the 300% tax on cars isn’t going away nor is the 200% duty on wine . What’s in it for the Europeans ?

Canned Som Tam?

[rkidlad]

45 minutes ago, AJBangkok said:

Great sign it up. But somehow I doubt even if there is a FTA with europe the 300% tax on cars isn’t going away nor is the 200% duty on wine . What’s in it for the Europeans ?

The ridiculously stupid TM30. 

[Srikcir]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

the DTN is studying the pros and cons of a trade agreement

Why, what needs to be known?

Negotiations for a Thai-EU agreement had been officially launched in March 2013. https://www.roedl.com/insights/free-trade-agreements-asean-beyond-attractive-business-perspectives

Did the government since then have "brain freeze?"

More history

• Thailand's first FTA was the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA), which Thailand signed, as part of ASEAN, in 1992. Even though FT As have existed in Thai society for more than a decade, it remains an unfamiliar subject for many people. (apparently true for the DTN). http://www.thaifta.com/english/index_eng.html
• Thailand currently has had six free trade agreements with Australia, China, India, New Zealand and the 10 member countries of ASEAN. https://www.boi.go.th/tir/issue/200507_17_6/17.htm ;
• Thailand currently now includes Japan, Chile and Peru. https://www.export.gov/article?id=Thailand-trade-agreements

Albeit PM and NCPO Chief Prayut "blew up" the Australian FTA when he shutdown the Kingsgate gold mine operation by invoking Article 44.

 

A major potential problem for Thailand under FTA's is that the Thai government can't distort or manipulate such agreements (after ratification) through its parliamentary and judiciary systems; the latter being highly suspected of political nationalistic bias.

In effect a nation in a FTA must give up some degree of its sovereignty in order to lower financial risk of foreign investment. That's a high bar for a former Thai military junta leader now serving as an elected PM and majority pro-military coalition in the Parliament House.