DTN hopes to complete deals, FTAs with Europe, Britain soon

By The Nation

 

Oramon Subthaweetham (Photo courtesy of Commerce News Agency)

 

The Department of Trade Negotiations (DTN) aims to bring five pending missions to a close by the end of 2019 with a focus on completing partnership deals and free trade agreements (FTA) with foreign countries.

 

DTN director-general Oramon Subthaweetham said that in the last quarter of 2019, the department would focus on completing trade deals previously assigned by Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit and his deputy Weerasak Wangsuphakitkosol.

 

“There are five urgent missions we will be focusing on,” she said. “They are RCEP negotiations, CPTPP talks, finishing pending FTA discussions with Pakistan, Turkey and Sri Lanka, revisiting the Thailand-EU FTA, and preparing for Thailand-UK FTA negotiations.”

 

Oramon explained that the next session of RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership) negotiations will take place this weekend (September 8-9) in Bangkok and will be attended by Minister Jurin and representatives from 16 countries.

 

“The meeting will discuss pending issues such as e-commerce and policies to resolve conflicts, and we expect the talks to wrap up before the year-end,” she said.

 

Regarding CPTPP (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership) discussions, the director-general said the department had organised a public hearing and is now working on the feasibility and impact study, which will be submitted for Cabinet approval once it is finished.

 

“As for FTAs that are still pending with three countries, we will host a meeting with Pakistan in October and with Turkey in December,” said Oramon. “However, talks with Sri Lanka may have to wait since they have just changed their negotiation committee.”

 

Thailand-EU FTA negotiations have been on hold due to the political situation in Thailand, but the department is now ready to resume negotiations and is studying the impacts as well as opinions of related parties. The study is expected to be wrapped up by October, after which it will be submitted to the Cabinet and the Bureau of International Economic Policy for approval.

 

“The DTN will start preparing for Thailand-UK FTA discussions,” said Oramon. “We have been working with the UK on setting up a trade policy database as well as conducting a feasibility study of the FTA after Brexit,” she said.

 

“Furthermore, the DTN is planning to hold a campaign to help Thai entrepreneurs, exporters and farmers maximise their profits from the FTAs by working with the National Farmers Council, the Thai Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Thai Industries,” Oramon added.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30375793

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2019-09-03

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Thailand-EU FTA negotiations have been on hold due to the political situation inThailand.

 

As far I'm concerned nothing has changed about the political situation in Thailand. Changing from camouflage to a Tie makes it not a democracy. I would bet most Thais see it the same way.

41 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

The Department of Trade Negotiations (DTN) aims to bring five pending missions to a close by the end of 2019 with a focus on completing partnership deals and free trade agreements (FTA) with foreign countries.

It's probably my perception not being Thai, but it seems surprising there's a department purely for trade negotiations?

It's a pity there isn't a department of public litter bin allocations (DPLBA), or department of plastic waste management (DPWM). Even at ten percent efficiency it would be a start.

1 hour ago, snoop1130 said:

Thailand-EU FTA negotiations have been on hold due to the political situation in Thailand

The EU is not stupid. They know the current government is just a continuation of the previous corrupt junta regime. 

A Thai/EU FTA is just wishful thinking on the part of the The Department of Trade Negotiations.  

Sweet dreams Thailand.

Seems to me that the reason Thailand is so humid is too much political hot talk

19 hours ago, bluesofa said:

there's a department purely for trade negotiations?

Actually commonplace.

Typically a department or division under a Cabinet ministry for foreign affairs (ie., EU) or state department (Ie., U.S. State Department but may also include Treasury).

 

18 hours ago, Cadbury said:

The EU is not stupid. They know the current government is just a continuation of the previous corrupt junta regime. 

A Thai/EU FTA is just wishful thinking on the part of the The Department of Trade Negotiations.  

Sweet dreams Thailand.

That was the process in the past whereby in principle FTA negotiation must be preceded by a human rights impact assessment to ensure that trade does not negatively impact the enjoyment of human rights especially industry such as fishery and textile. However EU is in such a bad shape economically and need more markets to export. They will likely to waive this requirement and negotiate the FTA and then ask Thailand to improve their human rights record. This can be seen by the recent EU-Vietnam FTA whereby human rights demands were waived. Really a big letdown.