Private sector wants Thailand to join TPP

BANGKOK, 10 February 2016 (NNT) - The Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking has decided to support Thailand to take part in the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement or TPP for benefits in terms of trade and investment in the future.

The Thai Chamber of Commerce, the Federation of Thai Industries and the Thai Bankers’ Association or the Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking on Tuesday met and agreed to support Thailand to enter the TPP.

The committee expressed belief that Thailand’s participation in the TPP would help expand the Thai economy. The TPP is expected to benefit automotive, textile and garment industries the most but there are some industries which may be affected by the TPP such as medicine, pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.

The committee therefore suggested that the government take care of the affected industries by providing assistance measures for them. If the government did not place importance on the TPP, foreign investor confidence would be affected in the long run, the committee said.

The committee also set up an ASEAN Hub team who will work with the public sector to develop Thailand as ASEAN’s industrial hub. It further suggested that the CLMV group or Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam still have good economic growth and they could help cushion the effects of shrinking exports to China and Europe.


-- NNT 2016-02-10

TPP has substantial benefits for Thailand now recognized by the Private Sector.

"Thailand will find that ignoring the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal negotiations will come back to haunt us. Mexico has called for a TPP "rule of origins" that would prohibit TPP members from sourcing products from non-TPP countries." The Nation 2015-08-13

"Thailand is now keen to join the US-led 12-nation Tran-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free-trade agreement that currently excludes Thailand." -

Deputy premier for Economic Affairs Somkid Jatusripitak, The Nation 2015-10-16

"In 2014, TPP members represented 45 per cent of Thailand's overall foreign direct investment (FDI)." The Nation 2016-01-04

"the TPP was a top-level free-trade agreement requiring a high standard to ensure beneficial participation, and therefore one that the country should not turn away from, as it would lead to new development." - Pornsilp Patchrintanakul, adviser to the Board of Trade of Thailand,The Nation 2016-01-04

Yet, Prayut is delaying a decision to join TPP.

There might be several problems for Thailand applying to TPP now.

First, Prayut has aligned Thailand trade very closely with the Chinese on its competing "Silk Road" trade pact. China is excluded from TPP. China has shown that it will use Chinese tourism as an economic weapon to affect another country's policies (ref. Taiwan) and Prayut has committed Thailand's economic recovery in part to huge increases in Chinese tourism.

Second, the Prayut regime may not be prepared to meet the "high standards" required for TPP membership such as lowering protectionist trade barriers.

Third, TPP may give the USA more leverage to pressure Thailand's human trafficking "industry."

Application to TPP is a 3 year process and delays by Praut will only further damage the economy. He needs to act now.

Yes sure ... join TPP and give all power to the corporations.

TPP is a nightmare and just like TTIP is a tool for full enslavement of the people.

... and nobody even knows what's written in it.

Joining the TPP is a nonsense that will be nothing but bad for Thailand, why invite Monsanto in to wreck your rice fields.

The cost of medications will cause misery for the poor, intelectual property rights gone.

The whole deal has been kept secret from the public, Toyota will be pressuring the Government over the TPP, sign that boys and open up the tin of worms allowing overseas companies the right to sue you.

Madness for the good of corporates.

Hope you don't sign it LOS as you won't be smiling in the long term if you do.

the General being told what to do by outside sources

TPP has substantial benefits for Thailand now recognized by the Private Sector.

"Thailand will find that ignoring the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal negotiations will come back to haunt us. Mexico has called for a TPP "rule of origins" that would prohibit TPP members from sourcing products from non-TPP countries." The Nation 2015-08-13

"Thailand is now keen to join the US-led 12-nation Tran-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free-trade agreement that currently excludes Thailand." -

Deputy premier for Economic Affairs Somkid Jatusripitak, The Nation 2015-10-16

"In 2014, TPP members represented 45 per cent of Thailand's overall foreign direct investment (FDI)." The Nation 2016-01-04

"the TPP was a top-level free-trade agreement requiring a high standard to ensure beneficial participation, and therefore one that the country should not turn away from, as it would lead to new development." - Pornsilp Patchrintanakul, adviser to the Board of Trade of Thailand,The Nation 2016-01-04

Yet, Prayut is delaying a decision to join TPP.

There might be several problems for Thailand applying to TPP now.

First, Prayut has aligned Thailand trade very closely with the Chinese on its competing "Silk Road" trade pact. China is excluded from TPP. China has shown that it will use Chinese tourism as an economic weapon to affect another country's policies (ref. Taiwan) and Prayut has committed Thailand's economic recovery in part to huge increases in Chinese tourism.

Apart from all the above, Thailand has an unelected government created by a military coup, totally unacceptable to all the other countries.

Second, the Prayut regime may not be prepared to meet the "high standards" required for TPP membership such as lowering protectionist trade barriers.

Third, TPP may give the USA more leverage to pressure Thailand's human trafficking "industry."

Application to TPP is a 3 year process and delays by Praut will only further damage the economy. He needs to act now.

Thailand is does not have an elected government but has a regime created by a military coup. Totally unacceptable to the TPP

Thailand is does not have an elected government but has a regime created by a military coup. Totally unacceptable to the TPP

At least they have had enough brains so far , to not join.

Looks like all the Crooks might get there way,

So it will be the Giant Corporations & the Banksters against the ordinary people.

Get ready for some serious protests if any Thai government tries to ram this crap through.

Will be the worst move any country can make, to join something like TPP and start giving

up the countries sovereignty to the USA.

You know the old saying. The Rich get Richer at everyone else expense.

Edited February 10, 201610 yr by NoBrainer

Thailand will not be an industrial hub, so they should focus on achievable aspirations. Labor cost, electric costs, education quality, productivity....are just some issues.

The core problem is education, but there is no will to change the quality, even thought hey outspend most SE Asian countries.

The New Zealand TPP agreement between the 12 AP countries will still need both USA houses to ratify. There is sill time for Thailand to consider and hear the opinions of local businesses. If congress don't ratify this agreement, it will only be Obama's wet dream. Big corporations are pushing this hard and in America, they carry a big stick.

Thailand is does not have an elected government but has a regime created by a military coup. Totally unacceptable to the TPP

At least they have had enough brains so far , to not join.

Let us hope that is so.

Last I read, all the major US presidential candidates from both parties say they are against it and it is a bad idea. I don't trust that their election year stances will necessarily stick, probably Bernie could most counted on to not change his anti TPP stance, as for Trump or Clinton, I find it dubious that they are saying they don't want it, doesn't seem consistent considering who they are and who they seem to stand for.

One of the purported excuses, as I understand it is to present a unified trading block against China. Thailand would have to do an about face from their current trajectory. They wouldn't like ceding all of their authority to an anonymous international entity either. Though I suppose they could just sign it and kick and scream later when they run into whatever problems they would face.

Hopefully, we never wake to see the day that the TPP or the sister agreement with Europe is actually in place. I have a feeling we will have to fight this and other similar "agreements" off for a long long time.

TPP has substantial benefits for Thailand now recognized by the Private Sector.

"Thailand will find that ignoring the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal negotiations will come back to haunt us. Mexico has called for a TPP "rule of origins" that would prohibit TPP members from sourcing products from non-TPP countries." The Nation 2015-08-13

"Thailand is now keen to join the US-led 12-nation Tran-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free-trade agreement that currently excludes Thailand." -

Deputy premier for Economic Affairs Somkid Jatusripitak, The Nation 2015-10-16

"In 2014, TPP members represented 45 per cent of Thailand's overall foreign direct investment (FDI)." The Nation 2016-01-04

"the TPP was a top-level free-trade agreement requiring a high standard to ensure beneficial participation, and therefore one that the country should not turn away from, as it would lead to new development." - Pornsilp Patchrintanakul, adviser to the Board of Trade of Thailand,The Nation 2016-01-04

Yet, Prayut is delaying a decision to join TPP.

There might be several problems for Thailand applying to TPP now.

First, Prayut has aligned Thailand trade very closely with the Chinese on its competing "Silk Road" trade pact. China is excluded from TPP. China has shown that it will use Chinese tourism as an economic weapon to affect another country's policies (ref. Taiwan) and Prayut has committed Thailand's economic recovery in part to huge increases in Chinese tourism.

Second, the Prayut regime may not be prepared to meet the "high standards" required for TPP membership such as lowering protectionist trade barriers.

Third, TPP may give the USA more leverage to pressure Thailand's human trafficking "industry."

Application to TPP is a 3 year process and delays by Praut will only further damage the economy. He needs to act now.

And it's impossible to join unless Congress amended the rules for falling into TIPs lowest category.

Thailand has zero geopolitical importance to the USA, unlike Malaysia which was upgraded without merit.

Discussion of this topic is asinine until pre-coup democracy is reinstated.