A E C Launch Delayed A Year

[webfact]

AEC launch delayed a year

by Wanwisa Ngamsangchaikit

BANGKOK, 21 November 2012: ASEAN leaders have decided to delay the launch of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) for 12 months until 31 December 2015 to give more time to prepare regulations.

AEC was supposed to be introduced 1 January 2015 and some of its provisions impact directly on the hotel and travel agency business, both for staffing and equity ownership.

ASEAN general secretary, Surin Pitsuwan, said ASEAN leaders at the 21st ASEAN summit, held 16 to 20 November, in Phnom Penh, postponed the launch for 12 months.

“The delay will help us to prepare the necessary regulations as much work still remains to be done,” he said at the close of the meetings.

However he confirmed: “There will be no more delays and that all 10 ASEAN countries will participate.”

Indonesian Trade Minister, Gita Wirjawan, said the decision was made during the plenary session of the 21st ASEAN Summit, 18 November.

“ASEAN members said that they had completed 72% of the economic blueprints needed to bring about the AEC, with tasks in the socio-cultural and political-security fields still pending.”

Full story: http://www.ttrweekly...delayed-a-year/

-- TR weekly 2012-11-23

[zydeco]

Another year down the road means another year to do nothing in preparation. Sends a bad signal as well. The time to "prepare" could be pushed back until forever.

[SweatySock]

Don't know why they are bothering, the world is due to end next month anyway!!!!!

[jonclark]

So what to do with all those flags, posters, bill boards and school displays with 2015 on!!! Guess with a bit of nifty handiwork and enough marker pens the 5 can be made into a 6

Edited November 23, 2012 by jonclark

[Thaddeus]

Couldn't start a fire in a crematorium.

[ThaiRich]

Don't know why they are bothering, the world is due to end next month anyway!!!!!

dam_n I forgot about this and I have paid reservations for New Years eve at a 5 star hotel in Phuket.

[Trembly]

This is from an impeccable source who is directly involved in AEC integration on behalf of the Thai government :

Says to Thai customs : We're going to have a common customs declaration form for the AEC, is this alright with you?

Thai customs : No problem at all, just as long as importers fill in the Thai declarations form too.

Says to Thai MoH : we'll need common standards and recognition of qualifications for health professionals from the AEC, pretty sharpish. Is there anything you would like to add before we get the ball rolling?

Thai MoH : No problem at all but they have to undertake the Thai professional licensing exams as well.

And there you have it!

[clockman]

No shocks there, Thailand will never be ready, for the foreseable future!

[asiawatcher]

Ask any business person in any ASEAN country what AEC means to them and they haven't got a clue. Kinda tells you how important all this is. Pushed back for a year? Who cares...

[culicine]

So what to do with all those flags, posters, bill boards and school displays with 2015 on!!! Guess with a bit of nifty handiwork and enough marker pens the 5 can be made into a 6

Of course they had the kids and their crayons in mind - it commences the last day of 2015

[sprq]

Ask any business person in any ASEAN country what AEC means to them and they haven't got a clue. Kinda tells you how important all this is. Pushed back for a year? Who cares...

That may be true of the lower and middle levels of businesspeople, but the top people in the big companies know about it, judging from my recent meetings with top execs of a big Thai company.

[Trembly]

Ask any business person in any ASEAN country what AEC means to them and they haven't got a clue. Kinda tells you how important all this is. Pushed back for a year? Who cares...

That may be true of the lower and middle levels of businesspeople, but the top people in the big companies know about it, judging from my recent meetings with top execs of a big Thai company.

I haven't met a single person who hasn't heard of it in one form or other.

[Payboy]

Now that the summits have been held, study tours completed, committee members salaries drawn, mansions built, garages filled, and budgets utilized; surely there must be a face-saving way to opt out of the whole gig altogether?

[sirchai]

“ASEAN members said that they had completed 72% of the economic blueprints needed to bring about the AEC, with tasks in the socio-cultural and political-security fields still pending.”

I was talking to an ordinary woman, who works as a waitress in a restaurant. She didn't know what ASEAN is, as most of the uneducated people.

Had a nice chat with a Thai teacher, he said that it won't be good for Thailand, as all criminals from these countries will come to Thailand.

No Thais will go to the other countries. People from the nine other countries will work for less money, means they'll take the few jobs away.

Then the drug trade. It's pretty much obvious that more and more drugs will be available, as it's good money for those selling them.

Please forgive them, cause they don't know what they do....

[SgtPepper]

Awareness of ASEAN/AEC in the schools is all about traditional national costumes and member state's flags. There does not appear to be any knowledge beyond that.

[lostinisaan]

Seems that the ordinary folks don't know anything about it. Will they be able to buy land/ houses etc?

Pretty much scary to see all the gangstas from the other nine countries here. There's not much Thailand could sell to the other countries.

Companies will hire cheaper laborer, Was asking some students at my school. None of them would like to go to the Philippines, for example, but I guess tens of thousands will come to Thailand.

Not even thinking about terrorism.....

Edited November 24, 2012 by lostinisaan

[zydeco]

Seems that the ordinary folks don't know anything about it. Will they be able to buy land/ houses etc?

Pretty much scary to see all the gangstas from the other nine countries here. There's not much Thailand could sell to the other countries.

Companies will hire cheaper laborer, Was asking some students at my school. None of them would like to go to the Philippines, for example, but I guess tens of thousands will come to Thailand.

Not even thinking about terrorism.....

Seems that the ordinary folks don't know anything about it. Will they be able to buy land/ houses etc?

Pretty much scary to see all the gangstas from the other nine countries here. There's not much Thailand could sell to the other countries.

Companies will hire cheaper laborer, Was asking some students at my school. None of them would like to go to the Philippines, for example, but I guess tens of thousands will come to Thailand.

Not even thinking about terrorism.....

Give it about five years, and all the low wage Thais, bankrupted by rice pledges, over leveraged loans, and high consumer goods prices, will be heading out for Myanmar, Vietnam, Malaysia, and, yes, the Philippines in order to earn a living wage.

[Moruya]

Once they've turfed out the vagabonds, the AEC will be back for sure

[sirchai]

Seems that the ordinary folks don't know anything about it. Will they be able to buy land/ houses etc?

Pretty much scary to see all the gangstas from the other nine countries here. There's not much Thailand could sell to the other countries.

Companies will hire cheaper laborer, Was asking some students at my school. None of them would like to go to the Philippines, for example, but I guess tens of thousands will come to Thailand.

Not even thinking about terrorism.....

Seems that the ordinary folks don't know anything about it. Will they be able to buy land/ houses etc?

Pretty much scary to see all the gangstas from the other nine countries here. There's not much Thailand could sell to the other countries.

Companies will hire cheaper laborer, Was asking some students at my school. None of them would like to go to the Philippines, for example, but I guess tens of thousands will come to Thailand.

Not even thinking about terrorism.....

Give it about five years, and all the low wage Thais, bankrupted by rice pledges, over leveraged loans, and high consumer goods prices, will be heading out for Myanmar, Vietnam, Malaysia, and, yes, the Philippines in order to earn a living wage.

Please take a look at the European Union now.It just doesn't work.

Financially, with all the tourism, Thailand's similar to a 'rich" country in ASEAN, while most other countries are poor.

Some of them even piss- poor.

I do not see one good point for Thailand, to be honest.

[whybother]

Seems that the ordinary folks don't know anything about it. Will they be able to buy land/ houses etc?

Pretty much scary to see all the gangstas from the other nine countries here. There's not much Thailand could sell to the other countries.

Companies will hire cheaper laborer, Was asking some students at my school. None of them would like to go to the Philippines, for example, but I guess tens of thousands will come to Thailand.

Not even thinking about terrorism.....

The only difference for the movement in labour will be that people with certain qualifications will be able to practice and work in other countries. There will be no free movement of labour and there will be no (legal) ability to pay foreigners less than locals.

[whybother]

Please take a look at the European Union now.It just doesn't work.

Financially, with all the tourism, Thailand's similar to a 'rich" country in ASEAN, while most other countries are poor.

Some of them even piss- poor.

I do not see one good point for Thailand, to be honest.

The AEC is nothing like the European Union. There will be no central group in the AEC or any other financial controls like they have in Europe.

[sirchai]

Seems that the ordinary folks don't know anything about it. Will they be able to buy land/ houses etc?

Pretty much scary to see all the gangstas from the other nine countries here. There's not much Thailand could sell to the other countries.

Companies will hire cheaper laborer, Was asking some students at my school. None of them would like to go to the Philippines, for example, but I guess tens of thousands will come to Thailand.

Not even thinking about terrorism.....

The only difference for the movement in labour will be that people with certain qualifications will be able to practice and work in other countries. There will be no free movement of labour and there will be no (legal) ability to pay foreigners less than locals.

Theory and reality's always a different story. It's already happening now that Filipinos, people from Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia etc.. are working as laborers like musicians, Rotree maker, sex industry, factory workers, teachers.....and so on.

I was just talking to some smart high school students last night, I'd taught a few years ago. They do know that Thailand will have more and more problems through ASEAN.

People working as nannies, prostitutes and of course all the criminal activities,where they don't apply for a work permit.. Sad is that only some Thais seem to understand it.

Edited November 24, 2012 by sirchai

[whybother]

The only difference for the movement in labour will be that people with certain qualifications will be able to practice and work in other countries. There will be no free movement of labour and there will be no (legal) ability to pay foreigners less than locals.

Theory and reality's always a different story. It's already happening now that Filipinos, people from Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia etc.. are working as laborers like musicians, Rotree maker, sex industry, factory workers, teachers.....and so on.

I was just talking to some smart high school students last night, I'd taught a few years ago. They do know that Thailand will have more and more problems through ASEAN.

People working as nannies, prostitutes and of course all the criminal activities. Sad is that only some Thais seem to understand it.

It's happening now. It will make no difference with the AEC.

[sirchai]

Please take a look at the European Union now.It just doesn't work.

Financially, with all the tourism, Thailand's similar to a 'rich" country in ASEAN, while most other countries are poor.

Some of them even piss- poor.

I do not see one good point for Thailand, to be honest.

The AEC is nothing like the European Union. There will be no central group in the AEC or any other financial controls like they have in Europe.

Well, at least they had the same plans in the 60's.How should cops know how long somebody's staying in LOS, when no more visas are required?

Doesn't that mean that people from the nine ASEAN countries will move to Thailand to make a living, while Thais are getting poorer and poorer?

It won't affect the hiso guys in Bangkok, but the majority of middle class Thais. Once they disappear, there's not too much hope.

Prostitutes from almost all ASEAN countries will be at places like Pattyaa, Phuket and elsewhere. And with them the drugs. I'm just concerned about the kids' future.

Let's hope they have one!----

[whybother]

Well, at least they had the same plans in the 60's.How should cops know how long somebody's staying in LOS, when no more visas are required?

Doesn't that mean that people from the nine ASEAN countries will move to Thailand to make a living, while Thais are getting poorer and poorer?

It won't affect the hiso guys in Bangkok, but the majority of middle class Thais. Once they disappear, there's not too much hope.

Prostitutes from almost all ASEAN countries will be at places like Pattyaa, Phuket and elsewhere. And with them the drugs. I'm just concerned about the kids' future.

Let's hope they have one!----

Visas will still be required (even if they are visa exemptions). It isn't free movement like the EU. The AEC is about economic changes - trade, employment, business, finance.

[bigbamboo]

Don't know why they are bothering, the world is due to end next month anyway!!!!!

I'll bet you a million baht it doesn't.