Thailand aims to finalise free-trade agreements with EFTA, Sri Lanka and UAE by mid-next year

[snoop1130]

Image courtesy of Bangkok Post

 

Thailand is keen to finalise free-trade agreement (FTA) negotiations with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by mid-next year, with the aim to boost trade and investment.

 

The potential FTA between Thailand and Sri Lanka is particularly appealing due to Sri Lanka’s strategic location in South Asia, with connections to India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal. Furthermore, Sri Lanka’s economy is experiencing steady growth, remarked Auramon Supthaweethum, the director-general of the Department of Trade Negotiations.

 

An FTA between Thailand and EFTA, comprising Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland, is viewed as significant for Thailand in terms of trading and sustainable development. Negotiations for such an agreement began in June last year, although previous negotiations between Thailand and EFTA occurred from 2005 to 2006 before coming to a halt. EFTA was Thailand’s 14th largest trading partner in 2022, and from 2018 to 2022, the average annual trade between Thailand and EFTA amounted to US$9.85 billion.

 

Full Story: https://thethaiger.com/news/business/thailand-aims-to-finalise-free-trade-agreements-with-efta-sri-lanka-and-uae-by-mid-next-year

 

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[hotchilli]

10 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Thailand is keen to finalise free-trade agreement (FTA) negotiations with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by mid-next year, with the aim to boost trade and investment.

Free trade agreement my rear-end.

[jacko45k]

Why don't they develop a FTA with somewhere that exports something worth having? Okay we can get some tea from Sri Lanka, but the place is desperate and bankrupt! I am sure many await a FTA with South Africa, Chile or Argentina and we could get some good wines and beef at a reasonable price!