Election pushes back Japan FTA
Bangkok Post. 27 February 2006
Election pushes back Japan FTA
(TNA) - Thailand and Japan have postponed off the signing of their bilateral trade pact earlier scheduled for April 3-4, pending the outcome of Thailand’s upcoming general election, a senior offcial said Monday.
Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra dissolved parliament last Friday and called for a snap election.Polls have been set for April 2 by the Election Commission.
Vice Minister for Commerce Suwit Mesinsee said that before the political development, the Japanese and Thai prime ministers had been scheduled to sign the Free Trade Area agreement (FTA) on April 3 to go into effect in October 2006.
Japanese officials queried Thailand, Mr. Suwit said, to see if the two countries would sign the FTA ahead of schedule.
Mr. Suwit said the Thai government didn’t think it appropriate to sign any pact now. but that the FTA should be signed after the new government is elected.
He expected the Thai-Japan FTA would be signed in May or June and it could come into effect in November or December this year.
