Thailand will benefit from any trade pact it joins: US ambassador

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Thailand will benefit from any trade pact it joins: US ambassador
PETCHANET PRATRUANGKRAI
THE NATION


US Ambassador Glyn Davies

BANGKOK: -- THAILAND will benefit from whichever trade bloc it chooses to belong to, whether or not it joins the US-backed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the United States' ambassador says.

US Ambassador Glyn Davies said every trade pact was good as they all help bring down tariffs and trade barriers to stimulate the economic growth of partner countries. For instance, the TPP is a very high-standard trade agreement that, if the Kingdom decides to join it, should increase the standards of many sectors such as infrastructure, governance, regulatory regimes and others in the long term.

The TPP, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and the Asia-Pacific Free-Trade Agreement are not in competition with one another, he said yesterday during a press conference. "TPP is about business, not political components. Every trade pact can help benefit the economy, employment, and trade growth. Thus I hope Thailand will be able to weigh on its own [whether] to join any trade pact, as all pacts could help improve trade and enhance its ability to [take] another step [in its] development," he said.

The ambassador said the TPP was not about the US competing with China for influence. He is glad that Thailand has a good relationship with China, while Thailand has also long had good relations with the US.

He said he hoped that Thailand would get back to democracy as the current military-led regime has promised, and that the economy will continue to grow as in the past, when Thailand managed to drive economic growth amid many negative factors.

Davies said the TPP was not a club for the United States, but would involve all 12 members, increasing market penetration so they all benefit from the agreement. The TPP members are in the ratifying process and every country can take this time to adjust and prepare for the pact's implementation in the future.

Like other non-TPP countries during the ratifying procedure of the current member states, Thailand can take this time to study the couple of thousand pages of details on the pact and decide whether to join it in the future. The US also needs to study trade information from the other TPP member states. The ambassador said that if Thailand wanted to join the pact, the US would be prompted to form a closer collaboration with this country in all areas.

"We want to deepen and continue our collaboration with Thailand in all areas, in trade, economic and other issues such as IT and technology, coping with climate change and others."

The envoy also claimed that despite Thailand being categorised in Tier 3 - the lowest level - of the United States' "Trafficking in Persons" report, this point should not be an obstruction for the Kingdom joining the TPP.

Asked about the issues of concern on intellectual-property rights for pharmaceutical companies and genetically modified organisms, the US Embassy's economic counsellor, Kristina Kvien, said Thailand could study such details before deciding whether to join the TPP.

The ambassador added that despite the fact that Thailand's pharmaceutical sector was not large, the country had made some developments in the industry and the IPR protections under the TPP should enhance that.

The government will make a decision on whether to join the TPP during the International Trade Promotion Committee meeting on Friday. Deputy Commerce Minister Suvit Maesincee said the ministry was wrapping up its study on the TPP and weighing the pros and cons carefully, as Thailand would need to pay more for joining the pact later than other countries.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/business/Thailand-will-benefit-from-any-trade-pact-it-joins-30274048.html


-- The Nation 2015-12-01

[nullx8]

Yes, just like the rest if the World!

Soon all rice and corn crops owned by US Companies and due to cheaper prices from GEN Products, no local farmer can make a living.

[micmichd]

U.S. government should publish TPP so people can judge themselves.

There are some doubtful elements in TPP, eg. intellectual property on agriculture and medicine.

How open to Asian medical knowledge is the U.S. "medical bible" DSM-V?

Will medical treatments in Thailand be covered by Western social health insurances under TPP in the future? Who will benefit?

Guess it's practical things like these that are of common interest.

[mike324]

Yes, just like the rest if the World!

Soon all rice and corn crops owned by US Companies and due to cheaper prices from GEN Products, no local farmer can make a living.

Read an article that farmers in the US can grow Jasmine rice at a pretty competitive price compare to Thailand. Its still a tad higher but taken into consideration the quality and shipping time its not a bad trade off.

[Colonel Klink]

Read an article that farmers in the US can grow Jasmine rice at a pretty competitive price compare to Thailand. Its still a tad higher but taken into consideration the quality and shipping time its not a bad trade off.

Here's why:

http://www.cato.org/publications/trade-briefing-paper/grain-drain-hidden-cost-us-rice-subsidies

[nullx8]

Read an article that farmers in the US can grow Jasmine rice at a pretty competitive price compare to Thailand.

its because the US Govt. does subsidise the whole production process, so US companies can buy below the market price, make sure no other company or country can EVER compete.

the only ones will be benefit from this are

- Monsanto (US)as they own the Gen Seeds that can be sprayed by hardcore chemicals without die

- DuPont (US) to keep the market fresh

- Tyson (US) for everything meet-ish that can be eaten

- CP (Thai) they run the whole food chain in Thailand and will become the middle-man for the US Companies afterwards.

just the slave-driven seafood will remain in thailand .. because free labour can't be beaten .. not even by the US.

have you see the Nestle Action plan ? there is smalltalk planned until December 2018 .. no serious action.

nobody will stop that, because its cheap and they deliver.

everyone else will just go down the drain.

Edited December 1, 2015 by nullx8

[craigt3365]

Read an article that farmers in the US can grow Jasmine rice at a pretty competitive price compare to Thailand.

its because the US Govt. does subsidise the whole production process, so US companies can buy below the market price, make sure no other company or country can EVER compete.

the only ones will be benefit from this are

- Monsanto as they own the Gen Seeds that can be sprayed by hardcore chemicals without die

- DuPont to keep the market fresh

- Tyson for everything meet-ish that can be eaten

just the slave-driven seafood will remain in thailand .. because free labour can't be beaten .. not even by the US.

have you see the Nestle Action plan ? there is smalltalk planned until December 2018 .. no serious action.

nobody will stop that, because its cheap and they deliver.

Subsidies are used by many countries around the world. Just like here in Thailand. For better or worse.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agricultural_subsidy

In 2010, the EU spent €57 billion on agricultural development, of which €39 billion was spent on direct subsidies.^[4] Agricultural and fisheries subsidies form over 40% of the EU budget.

.................

In 2009, Japan paid USD$46.5 billion in subsidies to its farmers,^[25] and continued state support of farmers in Japan remains a controversial topic.

[Daniel Boon]

Cuba avoided 'friendship' with the USA

Haiti did not, look at its economy, thanks to the USA's 'help' ... and the American rice industry killed off the rice farmers in Haiti

[ some other reading matter .. https://ccrjustice.org/home/get-involved/tools-resources/inside-ccr/why-us-owes-haiti-billions-briefest-history-bill ]

[oztaurus]

I wonder if he has read the text of the TPP?

(Hint: he probably hasn't - it is highly secret)

Now imagine that "US" is replaced by "any other country which signed the TPP" .....

and that most of the international corporations who will be suing countries are actually US based .....

Edited December 1, 2015 by oztaurus

[cameraman888]

You have to ask yourself why this document is so secret. You also probably know by now the USA is not a democracy anymore and is owned by big corporations. It maybe good for other governments to go with the trade pact but it will be bad for the citizens of what ever country that goes along with it. Its a shame what is going on. I am worried about the generic drugs going extinct or more expensive. Who knows what's in this pact but it will spread GMO and other toxic problems.

[micmichd]

I wonder if he has read the text of the TPP?

(Hint: he probably hasn't - it is highly secret)

TPP 2.jpg

Now imagine that "US" is replaced by "any other country which signed the TPP" .....

TPP 1.jpg

and that most of the international corporations who will be suing countries are actually US based .....

What about

"I'm a human being, and it's the government's duty to protect my life and freedom. The government failed to do so. And now I sue the government for *not* making rules to protect me."

Would that be possible under TPP?

And shouldn't the government be able to sue companies that caused this for compensation?

[DaddyWarbucks]

This idiot talks too much.

He's in the news every few days.

Edited December 1, 2015 by DaddyWarbucks

[DeepInTheForest]

Read an article that farmers in the US can grow Jasmine rice at a pretty competitive price compare to Thailand.

its because the US Govt. does subsidise the whole production process, so US companies can buy below the market price, make sure no other company or country can EVER compete.

the only ones will be benefit from this are

- Monsanto as they own the Gen Seeds that can be sprayed by hardcore chemicals without die

- DuPont to keep the market fresh

- Tyson for everything meet-ish that can be eaten

just the slave-driven seafood will remain in thailand .. because free labour can't be beaten .. not even by the US.

have you see the Nestle Action plan ? there is smalltalk planned until December 2018 .. no serious action.

nobody will stop that, because its cheap and they deliver.

Subsidies are used by many countries around the world. Just like here in Thailand. For better or worse.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agricultural_subsidy

In 2010, the EU spent €57 billion on agricultural development, of which €39 billion was spent on direct subsidies.^[4] Agricultural and fisheries subsidies form over 40% of the EU budget.

.................

In 2009, Japan paid USD$46.5 billion in subsidies to its farmers,^[25] and continued state support of farmers in Japan remains a controversial topic.

Subsidies are used by many countries around the world. Just like here in Thailand. For better or worse.

If you read the wiki article which you referenced, you would see that many experts argue that subsidies negatively impact developing countries. This is because, while developed countries can afford to throw bushels of money at industrial farming interests, poorer countries, being poor--duh-- cannot afford to do so.

Developing-country farmers must thus compete with subsidized farmers from the developed world-- an inherently disadvantageous situation, particularly if the crops in the developed country as the same as those the poorer country is trying to export: e.g., sugar, rice, cotton. Your article also points out that since the least developed countries have a higher percentage of their GDP coming from agriculture (37% as cited) the effects are even more pronounced.

Haiti was given as an example. The Haitian agricultural economy once produced enough rice to feed the country. With the advent of "free" trade, this is no longer true. Haiti is now, unbelievably enough, the third biggest importer of US rice. This has gutted the rural economy of Haiti, forcing many to become economic internal migrants who wind up in urban slums.

[DaddyWarbucks]

Subsidies are used by many countries around the world. Just like here in Thailand. For better or worse.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agricultural_subsidy

In 2010, the EU spent €57 billion on agricultural development, of which €39 billion was spent on direct subsidies.^[4] Agricultural and fisheries subsidies form over 40% of the EU budget.

.................

In 2009, Japan paid USD$46.5 billion in subsidies to its farmers,^[25] and continued state support of farmers in Japan remains a controversial topic.

Subsidies are used by many countries around the world. Just like here in Thailand. For better or worse.

If you read the wiki article which you referenced, you would see that many experts argue that subsidies negatively impact developing countries. This is because, while developed countries can afford to throw bushels of money at industrial farming interests, poorer countries, being poor--duh-- cannot afford to do so.

Developing-country farmers must thus compete with subsidized farmers from the developed world-- an inherently disadvantageous situation, particularly if the crops in the developed country as the same as those the poorer country is trying to export: e.g., sugar, rice, cotton. Your article also points out that since the least developed countries have a higher percentage of their GDP coming from agriculture (37% as cited) the effects are even more pronounced.

Haiti was given as an example. The Haitian agricultural economy once produced enough rice to feed the country. With the advent of "free" trade, this is no longer true. Haiti is now, unbelievably enough, the third biggest importer of US rice. This has gutted the rural economy of Haiti, forcing many to become economic internal migrants who wind up in urban slums.

Excellent reply to what is nothing more than hogwash.

[DeepInTheForest]

How I hate this crap and the lying liars who promote it. In a better world, they would be in a prison for those who shamelessly rip off the people of the world.

"Thailand will be better off no matter which trade bloc it joins." "Trade pacts are always good because they decrease tariffs." These statements send my bs detector right up the flagpole.

How stupid do you have to be to swallow this? Pretty stupid. Particularly since the US had some of the highest tariffs in the world right up until WWI, a fact that Mr. Davies and those of his ilk conveniently ignore. In some cases tariffs exceeded 50 percent on imported manufactured goods. These tariffs were the main source of financing for the US government for over a century. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tariffs_in_United_States_history

The first secretary of the Treasury, Alexander Hamilton, favored tariffs in order to build the manufacturing capability of the new country.

So the barriers helped the US developed its own industries. Now that the US is developed, it sure as hell wants others to be denied that right.

Trade pacts are always good? Tell that to the Mexican farmers, who were driven to ruin when NAFTA was instituted and dumped cheap corn into Mexico. Mexico now borders on being a failed state. Is it any wonder that narco-trafficking is rampant? But we're supposed to believe that all trade pacts are wonderful. http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2013/11/24/what-weve-learned-from-nafta/under-nafta-mexico-suffered-and-the-united-states-felt-its-pain

Thai people may well want to reflect on the fact that the TPP was concocted, not by civil society groups, not by a democratic process, but entirely by representatives of the corporate world. How very convenient for them. Do you think the pact will include any safeguards for labor, human rights, environment, or citizen grievance procedures? Ha, ha, ha, ha!!! Of course it doesn't, and it won't. Because it's the product of the capitalist class, who have every intention of furthering their interests as the expense of everyone else's.

Edited December 1, 2015 by DeepInTheForest

[DeepInTheForest]

This, incidentally, is the issue that the protesters should have been telling the ambassador to "go home" about. They're complaining about the wrong issue.

Truly!

[Nowisee]

Yes, just like the rest if the World!

Soon all rice and corn crops owned by US Companies and due to cheaper prices from GEN Products, no local farmer can make a living.

Read an article that farmers in the US can grow Jasmine rice at a pretty competitive price compare to Thailand. Its still a tad higher but taken into consideration the quality and shipping time its not a bad trade off.

I read they are shipping some of the Jazzman rice to Hong Kong. It won't be long before it puts the thai rice farmer in a bind. I think a large part of the blame for that will have to go to the greedy thai middleman and land developers and all the others that are raping the farmer.

Edited December 1, 2015 by Nowisee

[connda]

The TPP is a wealth redistribution pact that benefits corporations and governments at the expense of the country's citizens.

If you really want to read it, here ya go: https://ustr.gov/trade-agreements/free-trade-agreements/trans-pacific-partnership/tpp-full-text

[Ulic]

This ambassador is either a simpleton or just spouting the party line. As for publishing the

TPP trade agreement it is thousands of pages long and extremely complex. The only thing

you really have to know is it is written by the big corporations for the government. It is not

there to protect or help the people of any country (even America) but to protect the big

companies and there profits.

The ambassadors simplistic party line about lowering tariffs is just laughable coming from

the USA. No country rails more against trade tariffs and government subsidies on agriculture

while no country protects its farmers and special industries (those with lobbyists in Washington)

with subsidies and trade tariffs. It is these lobbyists that write the trade agreements

on behalf/with the industries they represent. They do not mind throwing the American public

to the wolves as long as they can maximize there profits.

[craigt3365]

Excellent reply to what is nothing more than hogwash.

Quoting facts is hogwash? I did say for better or worse.

[Daniel Boon]

This idiot talks too much.

He's in the news every few days.

you referring to yourself in the third person?

who are you talking about?

[JohnDodd]

You have to ask yourself why this document is so secret. You also probably know by now the USA is not a democracy anymore and is owned by big corporations. It maybe good for other governments to go with the trade pact but it will be bad for the citizens of what ever country that goes along with it. Its a shame what is going on. I am worried about the generic drugs going extinct or more expensive. Who knows what's in this pact but it will spread GMO and other toxic problems.

That's a good question, about the secrecy, and the rest of your post is true and worrying. I have read parts of what has been published, its on the New Zealand Gov. website, also wikileaks have revealed some very scary info. Basically the Corporations will supersede all National sovereign law.We the people become merely more serf like as units of labour. And you are correct about generic drugs, they will end, this will wreak havoc amongst the 70 odd % of rural Thais and the end of the 30 baht Health Scheme. This "Trade Agreement" has taken 9 years of discussion's behind closed doors, most politician's have no idea what it contains, I also read that each of the 65 "yea" Senate voters received $20,000 for there dirty work. This Corporate coup is the road to all out World Fascism. I am glad that I am old (71) and am glad that I live in the outer 'burbs of KK, sounds selfish, but I don't want to witness the huge sh$t storm on the horizon.

[Thai at Heart]

Yes, just like the rest if the World!

Soon all rice and corn crops owned by US Companies and due to cheaper prices from GEN Products, no local farmer can make a living.

Thai rice farmers arent making a living now.