Thai exports endangered by Philippine glass tariffs

BANGKOK: -- Thailand has launched an official protest with the World Trade Organization (WTO) against the Philippines's unilateral raising of import tariffs on Thai glass panes, the kingdom's WTO ambassador Thawatchai Sophastienphong said Friday

The Philippines had moved ahead with unilateral measures to protect its domestic glass industry by increasing the import tariff for imported glass panes to 3,971 pesos per tonne, Mr. Tawatchai reported, arguing that such trade action was a barrier that obviously breached the trade principles and unduely damaged the Thai glass industry.

Philippine glass products already dominated up to 90 per cent of the domestic market share in the archipelago state, he noted.

Also affected by the Philippines' increased tariff were glass exports from China and Indonesia, who endorsed Thailand's protest at the April 23 meeting of the WTO committee, the ambassador added.

--TNA 2007-04-28

Reverse embargo on Filipino singers and nannies. Sorted.