Japanese ’upset by delay in FTA’
Bangkok Post | 18 October 2006
Japanese ’upset by delay in FTA’
Japanese investors have voiced concern over the Thai government’s decision to postpone a signing of the Thai-Japanese free trade area (FTA) agreement, according to the Commerce Ministry.
Speaking after a meeting with members of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce, Commerce Minister Krirkkrai Jirapaet said they paid a courtesy call on him to congratulate for assumption of the new post.
They were worried about Thailand’s decision to postpone the signing of the Thai-Japanese FTA, measures to control product prices while production costs are higher, and proposed amendments to the Alien Business Law.
He said the ministry’s officials had already informed Japanese counterparts that the Thai government was not indifferent in the implementation of the FTA pact although it had only one year to administer the country.
Thailand and Japan had co-invested and traded with each other in the past. So, he did not want Japan to worry about the FTA too much.
He said he wanted to study terms and conditions on investment and cooperation under the FTA agreement for a while to see whether the two countries would benefit from the pact before forwarding it to the National Legislative Council for approval.
Mr. Kirkkrai said the Thai government assured the Japanese counterpart the bilateral trade and investment cooperation of the two countries would continue to proceed as normal although the FTA pact had not yet been signed. (TNA)
