PM hopes to sign pact with Japan next week
Bangkok Post, Thailand
PM hopes to sign pact with Japan next week
By Yuwadee Tunyasiri
27 March 2007
Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont yesterday signalled his government would sign the Japan-Thailand Economic Partnership Agreement (JTEPA) next week after the cabinet gives official consent today. Despite vocal opposition, Gen Surayud said he had studied the draft free trade agreement and found no points which would put Thailand at a disadvantage. He promised his cabinet would base its decision on the national interest.
However, he acknowledged fears that Japan might export toxic waste to Thailand, and concerns over Thailand’s intellectual property rights on micro-organisms.
He expected the Thai negotiators to report to the cabinet today their most recent discussions with their Japanese counterparts on those points, he said.
Regarding opponents’ threats to ask the Administrative Court to put the JTEPA signing on hold, Gen Surayud said he would leave that to the court to decide, adding details of the free trade pact had been aired in a recent televised session of the National Legislative Assembly.
The prime minister hosted lunch for Japanese journalists at Government House yesterday. He said he told them his government would do its best to convince Thai people that the free trade agreement was good for the country.
Commerce Minister Krirk-krai Jirapaet said the agreement would boost Thai exports to Japan.
The pact would prevent the patenting of natural micro-organisms. Also, Japan promised not to export toxic waste to Thailand and to guarantee safe packaging of hazardous products.
The draft agreement had been carefully studied and negotiated for five years to ensure mutual benefits, he said. He expects the deal to take effect later this year.
FTA Watch representative Banthoon Setsirote urged the government to delay signing the pact. He said the cabinet had resolved on Dec 19 to hold a public hearing on the draft agreement before making a decision, but the date had yet to be fixed.
Besides, he said, the Thai negotiators who visited Japan on Feb 20 had not found any concrete solutions to possible adverse impacts from the agreement. He warned the government could be sued if it signed the agreement in its present form.
If the cabinet endorses the signing, his group would ask the Administrative Court to suspend it on grounds that it contradicts the Dec 19 resolution.
