Consultations ending on restart for Thai-EU trade talks

By THE NATION

 

FILE photo

 

The Commerce Ministry is preparing to wrap up consultations with relevant agencies and organisations across the country on a proposal to resume free-trade talks with the European Union.

 

Auramon Supthaweethum, director-general of the Department of Trade Negotiations, said a summary of opinions would be submitted to a committee on international economic policy chaired by deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak.

 

Auramon said many parties support the resumption of trade talks, but concerns were expressed over the possible influx into Thailand of products such as wine and liquor on a zero-per-cent tariff if a trade pact were ultimately to be signed.

 

Some parties were worried that access to cheaper wine and liquor would have an adverse impact on public health.

 

She said Thailand would meanwhile hold further free-trade talks with Turkey next month.

 

The European Free Trade Association (EFTA), which represents Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, has yet to be consulted as to whether it wishes to resume talks with Thailand.

 

Those negotiations have been stalled for more than 13 years since the initial two rounds held in 2005-2006.

 

Seven European states established the EFTA in 1960 to promote free trade and economic integration, but Britain, Austria, Denmark and Portugal subsequently opted to join the parallel but competing European Union. 

 

Lichtenstein, previously represented by Switzerland, became a fourth member of the EFTA in 1991.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/business/30378183

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2019-11-11

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3 hours ago, webfact said:

Some parties were worried that access to cheaper wine and liquor would have an adverse impact on public health.

 

The Thai better drink quality alcohol from Europe than lao khao which makes you blind....

4 hours ago, webfact said:

She said Thailand would meanwhile hold further free-trade talks with Turkey next month.

Turkey manufacture some reasonable farm machinery implements which would be welcomed at the right price. 

8 minutes ago, farmerjo said:

Turkey manufacture some reasonable farm machinery implements which would be welcomed at the right price. 

Steel, machinery and plastics among their biggest exports.

4 hours ago, webfact said:

a summary of opinions would be submitted to a committee on international economic policy

Then a series of sub-committees will be set up to consider each opinion.  Their findings will be published in April 2020.  Any opinion that clashes with the PM's will be discarded.

1 hour ago, Youlike said:

The Thai better drink quality alcohol from Europe than lao khao which makes you blind....

The vision of a bottle of real wine at a ressnable price slips further forward into the future.

4 hours ago, webfact said:

The European Free Trade Association (EFTA), which represents Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, has yet to be consulted as to whether it wishes to resume talks with Thailand.

It doesn't look like any FTA this year with the EFTA; maybe wait until 2020 if and when the UK leaves the EU for a separate trade agreement with the UK?

 

These things usually take AT LEAST a couple of years once the formal negotiations actually get under way. Can be MUCH more. Then there's the ratification process which, in Western countries with real Parliaments, takes usually another year.

 

 

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Auramon said many parties support the resumption of trade talks, but concerns were expressed over the possible influx into Thailand of products such as wine and liquor on a zero-per-cent tariff if a trade pact were ultimately to be signed.

 

Which is what a free trade agreement is !

Not one way as Thailand interprets it !

 

"Some parties were worried that access to cheaper wine and liquor would have an adverse impact on public health."

Since when did any Thai government give a sh#t about the health of it's kingdom of serfs.

This so called concern is all about protecting Thai tax revenues.

 

Why restart trade talks with a country that don't respect the basics of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and also applies very close surveillance methods to every European citizen living in the Kingdom who is practically guaranteed no rights but only duties? 

Thai citizens living in Europe, in the same way as many non-EU immigrants and even undocumented irregular migrants, are safe and can acquire local citizenship after some and become fully European citizens.

Unless Thailand agrees to substantailly reduce or remove prohibitive Tarriff's on European products then there should be NO DEAL.  The days of Thailand playing the poor card to obtain free entry of its products to other Nations whilst thrashing any Foreign products with crazy high Taxes have to come to an end right now.  If they don't like it then punish them with highest posible Tarriff's on Thai goods or ban them completely !

Mmmm so am I reading this right thailand thinking about talks but what is the EU thinking and ask Canada who got a sort of deal after 7 years talking. 

Sucking up to the big alcohol producers in Thailand-they get big kickbacks from keeping other countries mostly out of the market through high tariffs-and then there is the love affair with China-never going to happen in the near future 

Means Thailand can still impose an excise tax on booze and beer, but has to treat local and imported products the same way. Not many would any longer drink the local horse p1$$ and Mr. Chang knows it.