Thailand targeting more FTAs next year

By The Nation

 

Director general Auramon Supthaweethum.

 

Thailand is speeding up talks in order to reach free trade agreements (FTAs) with several territories next year, the Trade Negotiations Department said on Friday.

 

The department will push hard to complete separate FTAs with Turkey, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, said its director general Auramon Supthaweethum.

 

 

It will also press for revision of Asean free trade agreements with China, with India, with South Korea and with Australia-New Zealand, to open their markets to a wider range of Thai goods.

 

Meanwhile the department is planning to initiate FTA talks with other key economies, including the UK. A study of impacts of a Thailand-UK FTA is expected to be finished early next year.

 

A completed study on impacts of a Thailand-European Union FTA will be put to the Cabinet in December, Auramon added.

 

The EU has already signed free trade deals with Singapore and Vietnam and is in talks for a deal with Indonesia. It has suspended talks with Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines. Talks with Thailand began in 2013 but were suspended in 2014 following the military coup.

 

Thailand has so far signed 13 FTAs with 18 countries – Asean partners, China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia, New Zealand, Chile and Peru.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/business/30395937

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-10-10

 

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FTA's with 100-300 % import tax on the Thai side.

3 hours ago, johng said:

FTA's with 100-300 % import tax on the Thai side.

They do it because the other side lets them get away with it... having said that, I am pretty sure there’s no import tax on Japanese and Chinese products, but there is definitely on Australian ones.

4 hours ago, Barnabe said:

They do it because the other side lets them get away with it... having said that, I am pretty sure there’s no import tax on Japanese and Chinese products, but there is definitely on Australian ones.

Go buy a car made in Japan and see the tax added. Oh and remember the buses that customs accused came from China and wanted more tax. Are they still trusting away?

Edited October 10, 20205 yr by Scot123

The Thai government takes all of the profits of the tax discount because I don’t see a reduction in price on the consumer end, with the exception of cheap Chinese clothes and plastic 

4 hours ago, Scot123 said:

Go buy a car made in Japan and see the tax added. Oh and remember the buses that customs accused came from China and wanted more tax. Are they still trusting away?

You're right - there's no tax on small products from China, but a Japanese made motorcycle certainly has import tax slapped on it (Japanese brands make 650cc and below bikes here, and above that in Japan).

 

I don't understand how the Thais get away with it. Seriously.

15 hours ago, johng said:

FTA's with 100-300 % import tax on the Thai side.

I'm sure the wine and cheese companies will be happy with this wonderful announcement.   ????