Thailand, Germany Agree To Speed Up Eu-Thai Free Trade Agreement

[Lite Beer]

Thailand, Germany agree to speed up EU-Thai free trade agreement

BERLIN, July 19 – The leaders of Thailand and Germany have agreed to accelerate negotiations to conclude a free trade agreement between Thailand and the European Union (EU) as a key mechanism to boost mutual trade and investment.

The decision was made as visiting Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra met German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the Chancellery on Wednesday, the first day of her official visit marking the 150th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Thailand and Germany.

"ASEAN has a free trade agreement with China. This makes it even more important that the European Union reaches a free trade agreement with Thailand, and potentially with the whole of ASEAN too," the DPA news agency quoted the German chancellor as saying.

Ms Yingluck emphasised that Thai-German partnership would contribute to sustainable growth and employment.

Bilateral trade and investment would be a mechanism to strengthen the partnership.

European Union products and technology are necessary for the development of Thailand and other Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, the Thai premier said.

Thailand is investing in post-flood infrastructure development, Ms Yingluck said. German investors are welcome to invest in Thailand's infrastructure development and other industries such as auto, autoparts and machinery manufacturing.

The two countries planned to increase trade and investment value through bilateral cooperative mechanisms such as the Joint Thai-German Economic Committee (JEC).

German Economic Minister Philipp Roesler will visit Thailand in September for negotiations to boost trade and investment.

The Thai premier is also seeking German cooperation in product quality certification and standardisation by setting up a joint quality control centre to screen Thai exports to Europe. That will help cut losses on transportation incurred from returning Thai goods failing to meet EU standards.

In addition, Thailand plans to develop its Green Economy in cooperation with Germany. The first talks on shared environmental strategies between the two countries are expected to be held this year, Ms Yingluck said.

The Thai government supports renewable energy and plans to boost its use to 25 per cent of all energy use within ten years. Thailand also promotes environmentally-friendly industries such as bioplastics in close cooperation with Germany in terms of technology transfer. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-07-19

[h90]

Beauty and the Beast

[Moruya]

The tangerine suit with raised epaulettes and scaly sleeves are stright from a Star Trek scene.

The monster on the right in the chompoo tube confirms this.

Still, Chalerm would be your average Kling On.

Is there a new movie due out this year? The Frankfurt Fronteer?

[bunnaag]

Beauty and the Beast

who in this case is the beast Mr.Austria?

[canardo]

Beauty and the Beast

who in this case is the beast Mr.Austria?

I believe he means "the beauty and the beast" is the PM, and have lost no word about Angela M.

[Pseudolus]

"German investors are welcome to invest in Thailand's infrastructure development and other industries such as auto, autoparts and machinery manufacturing."

Welcome to invest; just make sure that 33% of that investment is in the form of cash in brown paper packages handed over to government officials.

Does this mean we can buy German made products without the 100% tax then?

[craigt3365]

"German investors are welcome to invest in Thailand's infrastructure development and other industries such as auto, autoparts and machinery manufacturing."

Welcome to invest; just make sure that 33% of that investment is in the form of cash in brown paper packages handed over to government officials.

Does this mean we can buy German made products without the 100% tax then?

Hopefully, this will extend to wine!!

[Morakot]

"German investors are welcome to invest in Thailand's infrastructure development and other industries such as auto, autoparts and machinery manufacturing."

Welcome to invest; just make sure that 33% of that investment is in the form of cash in brown paper packages handed over to government officials.

Does this mean we can buy German made products without the 100% tax then?

Hopefully, this will extend to wine!!

Wouldn't hold my breath for that. But one never knows, pig might fly.

[craigt3365]

"German investors are welcome to invest in Thailand's infrastructure development and other industries such as auto, autoparts and machinery manufacturing."

Welcome to invest; just make sure that 33% of that investment is in the form of cash in brown paper packages handed over to government officials.

Does this mean we can buy German made products without the 100% tax then?

Hopefully, this will extend to wine!!

Wouldn't hold my breath for that. But one never knows, pig might fly.

In the immortal words of Martin Luther King: I have a dream....that even in Thailand, one can obtain reasonable priced GOOD wine. My dream....

[LucidLucifer]

"Thailand is investing in post-flood infrastructure development, Ms Yingluck said. German investors are welcome to invest in Thailand's infrastructure development....."

Didn't a German company do that before with the Don Muang tollway, and isn't millions of Euros still owed?

Maybe once bitten twice shy.

[Morakot]

"Thailand is investing in post-flood infrastructure development, Ms Yingluck said. German investors are welcome to invest in Thailand's infrastructure development....."

Didn't a German company do that before with the Don Muang tollway, and isn't millions of Euros still owed?

Maybe once bitten twice shy.

Apparently, it has been successfully recovered, at least in surety bonds... The person responsible for this was declared persona non grata in Thailand.

Edited July 19, 2012 by Morakot

[kotsak]

Beauty and the Beast

Yes, brainwise

[binjalin]

good for her

[mike123ca]

The ethic of reciprocity that essentially states either of the following:

One should treat others as one would like others to treat oneself.

No to Free trade with Thailand until Europeans have the same rights as Thais have in Europe.

Fix Thai visa laws especial foreign men married to Thai nationals and land ownership.

[crobe]

One of Germany's main goals in establishing EU bilateral free trade agreements is the reduction and elimination of tariffs and import taxes on EU vehicles, particularly luxury cars.

It is a big issue in the EU-India FTA at the moment as the Indian car manufacturers are complaining about the tariff reductions.

I hope the EU-ASEAN FTA would be accomplished, if only to get rig if the iniquitous Thai import taxes, that only encourage corruption, but I would guess that there will be one government shouting for an exemption on this part.

[Morakot]

No to Free trade with Thailand until Europeans have the same rights as Thais have in Europe.

Fix Thai visa laws especial foreign men married to Thai nationals and land ownership.

Not that easily done when populist politics and nationalistic paranoia rules.

[sirchai]

"German investors are welcome to invest in Thailand's infrastructure development and other industries such as auto, autoparts and machinery manufacturing."

Welcome to invest; just make sure that 33% of that investment is in the form of cash in brown paper packages handed over to government officials.

Does this mean we can buy German made products without the 100% tax then?

Hopefully, this will extend to wine!!

Wouldn't hold my breath for that. But one never knows, pig might fly.

In the immortal words of Martin Luther King: I have a dream....that even in Thailand, one can obtain reasonable priced GOOD wine. My dream....

I come from the Western part of this country, where almost everybody grows grapes and produces wine there.

Also called Lower Franconia. Just quantity is over, quality is wanted. A friend of mine would sell me best wine for almost nothing.

Had a " Bocksbeutel" brought from a friend in May, can't forget the taste of it.....

A Burgundy, Rose, Scheurebe, Beerenausleese, Eiswein......aeehhh would be cool if........let's hope ugly Angela and Yingluck are making the right deal and more of us and Thais will understand what good wine really is.

.

[Skywalker69]

"German investors are welcome to invest in Thailand's infrastructure development and other industries such as auto, autoparts and machinery manufacturing."

Welcome to invest; just make sure that 33% of that investment is in the form of cash in brown paper packages handed over to government officials.

Does this mean we can buy German made products without the 100% tax then?

Hopefully, this will extend to wine!!

And cars.

[KireB]

No to Free trade with Thailand until Europeans have the same rights as Thais have in Europe.

Fix Thai visa laws especial foreign men married to Thai nationals and land ownership.

Not that easily done when populist politics and nationalistic paranoia rules.

Fix European visa rules for Thais as well then!

[Unkomoncents]

"Thailand is investing in post-flood infrastructure development, Ms Yingluck said. German investors are welcome to invest in Thailand's infrastructure development....."

Didn't a German company do that before with the Don Muang tollway, and isn't millions of Euros still owed?

Maybe once bitten twice shy.

Good point, but check this out:

http://blogs.wsj.com/searealtime/2012/07/19/investors-look-to-thailand-philippines-as-indonesia-love-affair-fades/

No matter how dicey things get in Thailand, the West seems determined to get in to compete with China in the race for resources and investment revenue.

[sirchai]

European Union products and technology are necessary for the development of Thailand and other Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries, the Thai premier said.

What the ASEAN member countries really need is Quozo from Greece. At least their politicians......

[GreenSnapper]

"German investors are welcome to invest in Thailand's infrastructure development and other industries such as auto, autoparts and machinery manufacturing."

Welcome to invest; just make sure that 33% of that investment is in the form of cash in brown paper packages handed over to government officials.

Does this mean we can buy German made products without the 100% tax then?

Hopefully, this will extend to wine!!

It may be tax free, but the prices will be same. Remember how they cashed in all the advantage of the strong Baht.

[Morakot]

No to Free trade with Thailand until Europeans have the same rights as Thais have in Europe.

Fix Thai visa laws especial foreign men married to Thai nationals and land ownership.

Not that easily done when populist politics and nationalistic paranoia rules.

Fix European visa rules for Thais as well then!

Probably the same dilemma, with the current fear of immigrants across Europe.

[JurgenG]

"German investors are welcome to invest in Thailand's infrastructure development and other industries such as auto, autoparts and machinery manufacturing."

Welcome to invest; just make sure that 33% of that investment is in the form of cash in brown paper packages handed over to government officials.

Does this mean we can buy German made products without the 100% tax then?

Hopefully, this will extend to wine!!

Wouldn't hold my breath for that. But one never knows, pig might fly.

In the immortal words of Martin Luther King: I have a dream....that even in Thailand, one can obtain reasonable priced GOOD wine. My dream....

According to friends of mine in the alcohol business, the main opponents to lower taxes on wine are whisky and beer importers and manufacturers, a very powerful lobby in Thailand.

Beside having to sell their products much more expensive that they should, an other problem is they have to pay the tax up front while they get paid between 3 to 9 month after the wine is delivered. That directly affects the quality of the wine because in order to minimise that cash advance they need to buy and import very cheap wine (usually much less than 1 euro /bottle) and for that price you can't expect too much.

[JurgenG]

"Thailand is investing in post-flood infrastructure development, Ms Yingluck said. German investors are welcome to invest in Thailand's infrastructure development....."

Didn't a German company do that before with the Don Muang tollway, and isn't millions of Euros still owed?

Maybe once bitten twice shy.

That's where you see the difference of negotiation skill between this government and the previous.

Instead of being embroiled in disputes that caused a big loss of face for Thailand, Ms Yingluck is mending fences with Germany and negotiating win-win agreements with a leading country of the European Union.

Everyday we have new signs from the outside world, first the USA, then the IMF, now Germany and the European Union, that the current government is really doing a good job to give back Thailand the place it deserves on the international scene, it's getting harder and harder to understand why anybody with common sense can regret the previous administration.

Edited July 19, 2012 by JurgenG

[xoxman]

On Germany's leading news magazine www.spiegel.de her visit is not even mentioned 555+

[thedivezone]

Beauty and the Beast

Be fair, Yingluck ain't that beastly !

[lungmi]

On Germany's leading news magazine www.spiegel.de her visit is not even mentioned 555+

The Spiegel has no time for cheerleaders.

[MaiChai]

Beauty and the Beast

Which one would you choose?

[KireB]

Beauty and the Beast

Which one would you choose?

As PM? Merkel of course. The ratio between the GDP of Germany and Thailand is equivalent to the ratio in intelligence.