Thai-US Free Trade Agreement Draws Protests

[britainmal]

The US side is keeping this trade deal secret too. I think the People who protested in Washington are very stupid becasue they think Thailand is a Third world country when it is not. Thailand is spending all this money on infustructure and providing free health care under the 30 baht plan, which means that all the poor in Thailand are getting free medicine. A little rise in the price of drugs will not hurt Thailand. If this was Cambodia it would hurt them, but Thailand is not Cambodia in economic terms. The Thai's don't want to open there economy to foreign investment any further because they want to have the right to dominate their economy. The Thai side wants to export their products tariff free right way and in return they want tolower tariffs in a time span of 10 years. The Thai side talks about a level playing, but it seems the Thai's only want the FTA to benefit themselves.

[Nam Kao]

USA dont want to pay farang price, that all

[britainmal]

USA dont want to pay farang price, that all

That statement you made makes no sense.

[Nam Kao]

mai pen rai

[britainmal]

The US side is keeping this trade deal secret too. I think the People who protested in Washington are very stupid becasue they think Thailand is a Third world country when it is not. Thailand is spending all this money on infustructure and providing free health care under the 30 baht plan, which means that all the poor in Thailand are getting free medicine. A little rise in the price of drugs will not hurt Thailand. If this was Cambodia it would hurt them, but Thailand is not Cambodia in economic terms. The Thai's don't want to open there economy to foreign investment any further because they want to have the right to dominate their economy. The Thai side wants to export their products tariff free right way and in return they want to lower tariffs in a time span of 10 years. The Thai side talks about a level playing, but it seems the Thai's only want the FTA to benefit themselves.

[Nam Kao]

its all bout oil

[britainmal]

its all bout oil

Again you make no sense

[Nam Kao]

sorry my friend

[sriracha john]

The US side is keeping this trade deal secret too. I think the People who protested in Washington are very stupid becasue they think Thailand is a Third world country when it is not. Thailand is spending all this money on infustructure and providing free health care under the 30 baht plan, which means that all the poor in Thailand are getting free medicine. A little rise in the price of drugs will not hurt Thailand. If this was Cambodia it would hurt them, but Thailand is not Cambodia in economic terms. The Thai's don't want to open there economy to foreign investment any further because they want to have the right to dominate their economy. The Thai side wants to export their products tariff free right way and in return they want tolower tariffs in a time span of 10 years. The Thai side talks about a level playing, but it seems the Thai's only want the FTA to benefit themselves.

see how much easier that it is on the eyes?.... save bold for the odd word of emphasis, please?

[blabbel]

its all bout oil

Been on the booze again?

[gurkle]

The US side is keeping this trade deal secret too. I think the People who protested in Washington are very stupid becasue they think Thailand is a Third world country when it is not. Thailand is spending all this money on infustructure and providing free health care under the 30 baht plan, which means that all the poor in Thailand are getting free medicine. A little rise in the price of drugs will not hurt Thailand. If this was Cambodia it would hurt them, but Thailand is not Cambodia in economic terms. The Thai's don't want to open there economy to foreign investment any further because they want to have the right to dominate their economy. The Thai side wants to export their products tariff free right way and in return they want tolower tariffs in a time span of 10 years. The Thai side talks about a level playing, but it seems the Thai's only want the FTA to benefit themselves.

Wow, the Thais want to make an agreement that will actually benefit them more than it does the Americans. That's crazy!

[sriracha john]

Thai side floundering in FTA talks

By Daniel Ten Kate 15 January 2006 17:23

More than anything, this week’s trade talks and the howls of opposition they’ve provoked have spotlighted the starkly different approaches taken by Thai and US negotiators.

A public debate on controversial items in the trade deal, particularly provisions dealing with medicine, should have taken place in Thailand before the negotiations began 18 months ago. But that never happened, and now a backlash is playing itself out in massive street protests, newspaper columns and – soon enough – courtrooms.

“The government didn’t do its homework,” said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a professor at Chulalongkorn University. “It’s interesting that the US negotiators say they respect democracy and welcome all voices. Now the Thai government is trying to listen as well, but they are too late. Now whatever they do will be treated with suspicion.”

As Thai negotiators are finding out, the US Trade Representative (USTR) is a formidable opponent. It has well-researched policy positions, a press team available at the touch of a Blackberry and – most importantly – a legal framework approved by the US Congress that specifies exactly what a trade deal needs in order to be a success.

“We don’t want to bother going through the effort to conclude an agreement that won’t be approved by Congress,” Barbara Weisel, the top US negotiator, told reporters in Bangkok yesterday. “It would be a waste of both of our times.”

US negotiators are leveraging the US Congress in order to pressure the Thai side into closing the deal. The intentionally vague “spring” deadline set by US negotiators is given under the assumption that the US Congress will not extend a law, known as Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), that allows the USTR to negotiate deals that will receive an up-or-down vote in the US Congress.

Without TPA, which is set to expire in June 2007, members of the US Congress can go line-by-line and change parts of the trade agreement they don’t like. That creates enormous headaches for negotiators, which is why the USTR has not sent any trade deals to Congress for approval without TPA firmly in place.

The US Congress can always extend TPA, as it did last year, but Weisel said earlier this week that there are “serious questions” as to whether that will happen. In 2007, US lawmakers will be preparing themselves for the notoriously protectionist US presidential election campaign, and US President George W Bush will be fighting off lame-duck status.

In any case, TPA is an invaluable tool in the negotiating room. On any given item, US negotiators can simply tell their Thai counterparts that they cannot budge because Congress won’t let them.

“The talks are really just to comfort the Thai side psychologically and give them the impression they have the right to negotiate,” Bantoon Saertsirot, an advisor to the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and an observer of the talks in Chiang Mai, told reporters yesterday. “It’s like giving someone a steak, and letting them choose between pepper and salt, but telling them that they still must eat the steak.”

By contrast, the Thai team is left floating up the river. Free trade agreements here are negotiated by the executive branch on behalf of the country, and do not need the approval of Parliament to become binding.

While the USTR deals with all US trade deals, the Thai negotiating apparatus lacks any sense of cohesion. The US FTA, as well as the trade deal with Japan, fall under the control of the Foreign Ministry, while all other deals fall under the Commerce Ministry’s Department of Trade Negotiations.

To further complicate matters, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has said Commerce Minister Somkid Jatusripitak is now in charge of the US FTA talks. And then Somkid reportedly sent his aide Uttama Savanayana, a vice minister for commerce, to oversee the talks this week in Chiang Mai.

All of this leads to a fuzzy decision-making process that has undoubtedly frustrated US negotiators. Razeen Sally, a trade expert at the London School of Economics, has called previous Thai trade pacts “ill-prepared and rushed.”

“Lack of preparation and strategy on the Thai side contrasts starkly with the vast resources and mobilization of an experienced and fearsome US trade-negotiating machine,” he wrote in a recent report. “Hence negotiations are very lopsided and could easily result in a one-sided deal. This has caused a domestic backlash.”

The Chiang Mai protests are one manifestation of that. The concerns expressed by the opposition Democrat party, various local think tanks and plenty of academics are others.

Yet the largest challenge could come next week in the form of a lawsuit to the Constitutional Court challenging the government’s ability to sign FTAs without receiving parliamentary approval. An affirmative decision could strike at the heart of the democratic process in Thailand and invalidate the previous six rounds of talks – an obstacle at this point that must astonish Congress-beholden US negotiators.

“The merits of an FTA with the US may be good, but the process has been so opaque,” said Chulalongkorn’s Thitinan. “Thaksin’s top-down approach has lost the trust of the people.”

[Jai Dee]

Thai fruits and vegetables become windfall of Thai-US FTA talks

BANGKOK, Jan 16 (TNA) - Negotiations of the proposed Thai-US Free Trade Area (FTA) Agreement so far have initially resulted in more exports of Thai fruits and vegetables to the United States, Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan said here on Sunday.

Khunying Sudarat told journalists that Washington had agreed to now open its market to Thai fruits and vegetables due to the bilateral FTA talks so far.

"In the past, the United States had closed its door for Thai fruits and vegetables, but now Washington allows imports of the Thai products, thanks to the Thai-US FTA negotiations," she said.

"The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives has proposed a list of Thai farm products which Thailand wants access to the US market to US negotiators, including fruits and vegetables, as well as frozen chickens and shrimps," he noted.

The minister said that Thailand would continue to seek expanded exports to the US for more Thai agriculture products.

She conceded that some Thai farm products, including maize, would be affected by the planned Thai-US FTA pact.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives has prepared measures to address the problem, namely the restructureing of local plantations by growing more crops beneficial from the planned Thai-US FTA deal, like sugarcane and cassava, and reducing maize plantations, according to the minister.

(TNA)--E002

[Jai Dee]

AGRICULTURE MINISTER CONFIDENT THAILAND WOULD BE ABLE TO EXPORT MORE PRODUCE UNDER THAI-US FTA

The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives is confident Thailand would be able to export agricultural products that were negotiated under the Thai-US FTA.

Minister Sudarat said negotiations at the Thai-US FTA talks were proactive, where Thailand has asked to export agricultural produce that have previously suffered trade obstacles and those that have never been exported to the United States. These include frozen food, processed food, chicken meat, fruits and vegetables. However she said it would depend on the US whether the goods are allowed to be exported under the FTA.

As for the issue of corn, Khunying Sudarat said the growing area in Thailand would have to be reduced to make way for tapioca and sugar cane plantations. However a portion of corn-growing area would be retained for generating animal feed.

Khunying Sudarat promised she would foster as much advantages for Thailand under the FTA as possible regarding the field of agriculture, in order to increase exports of the products.

Source: thaisnews.com ประจำวันจันทร์ที่ 16 มกราคม 2549

[sriracha john]

I'm fearful of Thailand's pie-eyed optimism regarding this FTA. As Post #42 repeatedly points out, they are really "babes in the woods" in these negotiations.

They could really end up holding the very short end of the stick.

[Jai Dee]

DPM calls on private sector to cooperate in economic restructuring

BANGKOK, Jan 16 (TNA) – Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Somkid Jatusripitak on Monday called on the private sector to cooperate with the government in restructuring the Thai economy, insisting that trade liberalization with other countries is unavoidable.

Presiding over the opening of e-service nationwide by the Business Development Department to celebrate the 83rd anniversary of its establishment, he said Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra invited representatives of the private sectors last week to be briefed on the overall economy in 2005 and 2006 later this month.

He said the government had been determined to restructure the Thai economy to ensure that the grass-roots economy and communities are strong.

The restructuring of production of the country comprising of the development of innovations, knowledge base, technical skills, and intellectual property needed to be promoted concretely.

To do that, all state and private agencies must work together, he said, conceding that the past performance of the agencies on the matter still lacked coordination.

“Today, Thailand needs to understand that the global trade has changed with competition set to intensify. Trade liberalization will become concrete both regionally and globally in 2010. So, it is necessary for the Thai private sector to adjust itself and the government to realize negotiations for trade under the free trade area (FTA) framework," he said.

“Many of both developed and developing countries are rushing to seek partners before the trade will be fully liberalized in the future to ensure strong economic base. Under the circumstance, it is unavoidable for Thailand to be indifferent to the trend,” he said.

Dr. Somkid said Thailand is now negotiating with many countries for FTA deals.

For instance, negotiations with Japan made a major progress and were expected to make a greater stride this month and next month.

He insisted that Thailand would attract Japanese investors to make full-range investment in many industries, particularly the electronics industry.

On the FTA with the United States, he said the Thai negotiation team had worked hard because Thailand’s export value in the US market is as high as 700 billion, or 15 per cent of the country's total export value. (TNA) – E005

[Jai Dee]

COMMERCE MINISTER: FTA NEGOTIATIONS WILL CONTINUE DESPITE PROTESTS

The Commerce Minister said that the FTA negotiations will continue, while pushing for negotiations for trade partnerships within 2010.

Commerce Minister Somkid Jatusripitak (สมคิด จาตุศรีพิทักษ์) revealed that the government has a policy to adjust the country’s production structure, focusing on innovations, wisdoms, while preparing related agencies and entrepreneurs for intense competitions. Commenting on FTAs, he said that the government prepares to push for negotiations on trade partnerships within 2010, as the FTA negotiations are inevitable. He said that the government will consider maximum benefits for the country. In addition, Thailand will attempt to conclude trade negotiations with Japan within next month. The minister expects that within the next three years, more investment inflows will come from Japan.

As for FTA with the United States, he said that the delegates will negotiate for the country’s maximum benefits. He said that FTA negotiations will be carried out continuously, adding that specialists from ministries and other agencies will be invited for a joint discussion.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 17 January 2006

[Jai Dee]

NETWORK OF 11 ORGANIZATIONS ASKED FOR MORE FREE TRADING IN AGRICULTURE UNDER THAI-EFTA FREE TRADE DEAL

A network of 11 organizations have submitted letters asking for Thailand to push for more free trading in the agricultural produce market, under the European Free Trade Association.

Mr. Krierk-Krai Cheeraphaet (เกริกไกร จีระแพทย์), the head of the Thai-EFTA free trade negotiating committee, received a letter from a network of 11 organizations that asked for the Thai delegation to push for the EFTA to open up the market for more produce, especially rice, tapioca, frozen chicken, and sugar.

The two sides will convene on agriculture, origin of goods, hygiene, plant and animal movement, trade obstacles, intellectual property, government-conducted purchasing, and competition policies. This round of negotiations will be concluded on Thursday.

The EFTA comprise Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Iceland.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 17 January 2006

[sriracha john]

As previously posted, it appears Thailand is in way over it's head when it comes to FTA with America:

Top FTA official throws in the towel

Nit Pibulsongkram is to resign as head of the Thai team negotiating a free-trade agreement with the United States because of the tremendous political pressure weighing on him, according to a source at Government House.

The source said Nit wanted to step down from the job because he feels that the latest round of Thai-US talks in Chiang Mai had failed to make progress and he has come under heavy political attack.

Rumours over Nit’s possible resignation circulated last week during the start of the sixth round of the free-trade negotiations. Nit leads the negotiations for Thailand and his counterpart, Barbara Weisel, heads the US delegation. Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Somkid Jatusripitak sent his trusted aide Uttama Savanayana to sit in as co-leader of the Thai team in Chiang Mai because he wanted to control the direction of the negotiations.

Uttama also accompanied Somkid to Hong Kong in December last year to take part in the Doha Round of multilateral trade talks under the auspices of the World Trade Organisation.

Nit, a career diplomat, formerly served as Thailand’s ambassador to the US.

According to Commerce Ministry sources, Uttama is likely to succeed Nit if Somkid, who administers the Thaksin government’s economic policy, accepts Nit’s resignation.

In Chiang Mai, the Thai-US free trade talks ran into a snag following a mass protest by non-governmental organisations and activist groups. More than 10,000 people took to the streets of the northern city to argue that a free-trade deal will put Thailand at a disadvantage in its commercial dealings with the US. Nit attempted to talk with the protestors, but instead they burnt his effigy.

Uttama’s role in Chiang Mai was very prominent and he almost overshadowed Nit. He took part in all the key meetings that required final decisions and on one occasion, issued a statement on the outcome of the negotiations.

The sources said the negotiations have now reached at a critical stage where political decisions are required most of the time and tough political will is needed.

“It is more appropriate to have someone who is not a civil servant, who has strong political backing and who has direct access to the political leadership to take charge over the negotiations,” said one Commerce Ministry source.

Narongchai Arkasanee, an advisor to Somkid on international trade, has also been named as a possible successor to Nit, but sources claim he doesn’t get along well with Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

[Jai Dee]

THAILAND DOES NOT SUFFER TRADE DEFICITS WITH EVERY TRADE PARTNER, SAID COMMERCE MINISTRY'S INSPECTOR-GENERAL

Inspector-general of the Commerce Ministry Chutima Bunyaprapas (ชุติมา บุณยประภัศร) has indicated that Thailand did not suffer trade deficits with every country that it has opened free trade areas with, adding that all sides must study and have good marketing plans before producing products, in order to benefit from the pacts.

Ms. Chutima commented on Thailand’s pursuits of FTAs with other countries, saying that all sectors have prepared well for the changes to the economic situation. She indicated that before the FTA agreements, Thailand was suffering from severe trade deficits. She added that Thailand suffered trade deficits with Australia over the past year, because it had to import oil and gold at higher prices, adding that this issue is not related to FTA negotiations.

As for the Thai-Chinese FTAs, Ms. Chutima said that import and export values have been higher, while the trade deficit has eased from by 5.6 billion baht from last year. On Thai-New Zealand FTAs, Ms. Chutima said that Thailand gained a trade surplus of almost 10 billion baht. The country also enjoyed a trade surplus with India of about 7 billion baht.

The Inspector-general said that overall, Thailand has gained from its FTA agreements. However, she said that all sides must prepare for the changes resulting from the pacts by studying details of the pacts and implementing good marketing plans.

Ms. Chutima added that the past problem of FTA negotiations is the high proportion of Thailand’s imports raw material from abroad, as she said that it is ahrd to negotiatie on rules of origins. Meanwhile, she said that Thai producers produce according to orders and have no brands. Therefore, she said the entrepreneurs have to improve on this issue if they want to compete globally.

She added that Thai entrepreneurs should pay more attention to logistics system, as it can help reduce costs of production.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 19 January 2006

[Jai Dee]

THAI FISH RAISERS ASSOCIATION OPPOSE AGREEMENTS DEPICTED IN EFTA

The Fish Raisers Association has submitted an opposition letter against free trading in fish with EFTA members, while Commerce Minister Somkid Jatusripitak (สมคิด จาตุศรีพิทักษ์) affirmed that the resignation of the chief negotiator of the Thai-US FTA was only a rumor.

More than 50 people from the Thai Fish Raisers Association traveled to the Commerce Ministry yesterday to submit an opposition letter against Thailand's planned free trading in fisheries with the European Free Trade Association or EFTA. The group demanded the government put fish in the sensitive items list and retain the import tax at 5% for a minimum of 10 years before the tariff is lowered. The Commerce Ministry accepted letter and will discuss the requests with other related authorities.

Yesterday Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Somkid denied rumors that Thai-US FTA negotiation chief Nit Phiboonsongkhrarm (นิต พิบูลย์สงคราม) has resigned from his position. Mr. Somkid insisted he has never received a resignation letter nor has been informed about Mr. Nit's intention to leave. He said that personally he think Mr. Nit has invested much effort and performed well at his task, but had to face much pressure from protest groups.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 19 January 2006

[Jai Dee]

PM BELIEVES THE RESIGNATION OF MR.NIT WILL NOT AFFECT FTA NEGOTIATIONS

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra spoke about the resignation of Thai-US FTA negotiation team leader NIT PIBOONSONGKRAM (นิตย์ พิบูลสงคราม). The Prime Minister revealed that Mr. NIT had discussed the matter with him and said the Non-Governmental-Organizations misunderstood his intentions. As a result, he was discouraged and eventually decided to quit the team.

However, Mr. NIT told the premier that he will not leave his work and will continue working as an advisor to the government. Meanwhile, Mr. UTTAMA SAVANAYON (อุตตม สาวนายน), MR. PANPREE PAHITTHANUKORN (ปานปรีย์ พหิทธานุกร), and Mr. SUVIT MESINSEE (สุวิทย์ เมษินทรีย์) will carry on with the negotiations.

Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs Minister KANTATHI SUPHAMONGKHON (กันตธีร์ ศุภมงคล) said that Mr. NIT is tensed and feels uncomfortable with the Thai-US FTA negotiation. He added that another suitable candidate will be appointed to take this post.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 19 January 2006

[sriracha john]

while Commerce Minister Somkid Jatusripitak (สมคิด จาตุศรีพิทักษ์) affirmed that the resignation of the chief negotiator of the Thai-US FTA was only a rumor.

Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Somkid denied rumors that Thai-US FTA negotiation chief Nit Phiboonsongkhrarm (นิต พิบูลย์สงคราม) has resigned from his position. Mr. Somkid insisted he has never received a resignation letter nor has been informed about Mr. Nit's intention to leave.

The Prime Minister revealed that Mr. NIT had discussed the matter with him and said the Non-Governmental-Organizations misunderstood his intentions. As a result, he was discouraged and eventually decided to quit the team.

Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs Minister KANTATHI SUPHAMONGKHON (กันตธีร์ ศุภมงคล) said that Mr. NIT is tensed and feels uncomfortable with the Thai-US FTA negotiation. He added that another suitable candidate will be appointed to take this post.

Interesting revelations...and implications:

1. Commerce Minister and the Prime Minister don't talk to each other.

2. Foreign Minister is not supportive of the Commerce Minister.

[sriracha john]

Yesterday Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Somkid denied rumors that Thai-US FTA negotiation chief Nit Phiboonsongkhrarm has resigned from his position.

And... THEN:

Jan. 19 (UPI) -- Head negotiator of Thailand's trade talks with the United States resigned from his post Thursday, citing recent criticism by non-governmental agencies.

Thailand's Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra confirmed speculation Nitya Pibulsongkram would step down from his position as head of the Thai negotiating team Thursday.

So.... 2 days ago they deny it, then 1 day ago it happens??? Is that about right?

How does the spelling of that word "credibility" go again? Do I have it right?

[Jai Dee]

A MEETING OF A COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC POLICIES WILL BE CALLED ON WED. TO DISCUSS THAI-US FTA RESULTS AND SELECT NEW CHIEF NEGOTIATOR

Vice Minister of the Commerce Ministry Suwit Mesinsee (สุวิทย์ เมษินทรีย์) prepares to call a meeting of a committee on economic policies to discuss the results of the latest round of Thai-US FTA talks in Chiang Mai and select a new chief negotiator, after hosting a public hearing to listen to opinions from all sides on the issue.

Mr. Suwit said that deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Somkid Jatusripitak (นายสมคิด จาตุศรีพิทักษ์) will call a meeting of a committee on economic policies on Wednesday to discuss the results of the latest round of Thai-US FTA talks in Chiang Mai, adding that a new negotiating team will be arranged, following a resignation by Nit Piboonsongkram (นิตย์ พิบูลย์สงคราม). He said that the meeting will also discuss Thailand’s stance in the next negotiations, insisting that the government will carry out negotiations carefully, with the national interests in mind.

Mr. Suwit added that the change of chief negotiator on the US part has also happened, but said that the Thai government still has a clear position despite the change of the negotiator. He said that the government will open to hear opinions from all sectors and will include important ideas and suggestions in the next round of the country’s FTA negotiation with the US.

Source: Thaisnews.com ประจำวันจันทร์ที่ 23 มกราคม 2549

[Jai Dee]

CHART THAI PARTY IS TO ORGANIZE A PUBLIC SEMINAR ON THAI-US FTA

Chart Thai Party has expressed its readiness to host a public seminar on “Thai-US FTAs: who gains, who loses?” on January 26 at the small auditorium at Thammasart University.

Deputy Chart Thai party leader Nikorn Jamnong (นิกร จำนง) said that the party is ready to host the public seminar, adding that the US ambassador to Thailand and representatives have been invited to listen to the seminar. He said that the seminar is aimed to demonstrate to the US that Thai people are united on this issue, and that there are no conflicts between the government, the opposition, and the people. He said that the participants of the seminar include Chart Thai Party leader Banharn Silapa-archa (บรรหาร ศิลปอาชา), Democrat party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva (อภิสิทธิ์ เวชชาชีวะ), Mahachon party leader Sanan Kajornprasart (สนั่น ขจรประสาสน์), Director-general of the Department of Trade Negotiation Apiradi Tatraporn (อภิรดี ตันตราภรณ์), and academic Bantoon Setsiroj (บัณฑูร เศรษฐศิโรตม์).

Mr. Nikorn said that the party hopes the seminar will exhibit which party will lose or gain from the trade deal. It also aims to mobilize ideas on the impacts on the people, and give the government information on the matter.

Source: Thaisnews.com ประจำวันจันทร์ที่ 23 มกราคม 2549

[sriracha john]

THAILAND DOES NOT SUFFER TRADE DEFICITS WITH EVERY TRADE PARTNER, SAID COMMERCE MINISTRY'S INSPECTOR-GENERAL

Thai trade deficit at US$142.1 million in Dec '05

Published on Jan 23 , 2006

Thailand's balance of trade swung to a deficit of US$142.1 million ( 5,573,872,283.17 baht ) for the month of December, according to customs department data released by the Commerce Ministry Monday.

What a difference 4 days can make....

[Jai Dee]

THAI-US FTA NEGOTIATIONS TO BE CONTINUED

Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister SOMKID JATUSRIPITAK(สมคิด จาตุศรีพิทักษ์) commented this morning at Imperial Queen’s Park Hotel after presiding over the THAI-US FTA seminar which was held by Thai Chamber of Commerce, Office of Industrial and the Thai Bankers' Association.

His comment came out that the negotiation on the Thai-US Free Trade Agreement needs to be proceeded since the leading countries had already agreed with such negotiations and it is expected that in the year 2010, FTA agreements will play major roles which will stimulate foreign counties to trade on the system of bilateralness.

Mr. SOMKID added that no candidates have been chosen to head the negotiation team following the resignation of Mr. NIT PIBOONSONGKRAM (นิตย์ พิบูลย์สงคราม), however he has urged related agencies to deemed the matter as something beneficial to the nation where the negotiation team will do its best to keep the benefits of the nation.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 24 January 2006

[penzman]

THAILAND DOES NOT SUFFER TRADE DEFICITS WITH EVERY TRADE PARTNER, SAID COMMERCE MINISTRY'S INSPECTOR-GENERAL

Thai trade deficit at US$142.1 million in Dec '05

Published on Jan 23 , 2006

Thailand's balance of trade swung to a deficit of US$142.1 million ( 5,573,872,283.17 baht ) for the month of December, according to customs department data released by the Commerce Ministry Monday.

What a difference 4 days can make....

And in November '05 it was over 54 million U.S.

[Jai Dee]

MR.BANHARN URGES GOVT TO RECONSIDER THE BENEFITS OF THAI-US FTA NEGOTIATIONS

Chart Thai Party leader Mr. BANHARN SILPA-ARCHA (บรรหาร ศิลปอาชา) has called for a revision of the Thai-US negotiations on FTA as the Thai economic performance has not shown satisfactory results after Thailand concluded such agreements with different countries.

Mr. BANHARN, who participated in a seminar on the "THAI-US Free Trade Agreement (FTA): Who Will Benefit?" at Thammasat University revealed that currently most of the Thai investments in foreign countries were made with the United States. He, however, asked the government and related agencies to reconsider and discuss the benefits Thailand would gain from such an agreement. If the country gains advantages from the agreements, then the balance of trade should increase, he noted.

However, statistics showed that Thailand had a trade deficit of almost 8,000 million baht last year.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 27 January 2006