Thailand
Thailand and the United Kingdom agree to increase their two-way trade and explore the possibility of creating a free trade agreement (FTA).
Thailand will take until September to study whether to join a trans-Pacific free trade agreement, potentially missing a window for entry this year amid widespread concern that joining the pact may harm its farm and healthcare sectors.
Fifteen Asia-Pacific countries will sign the RCEP trade pact by the end of 2020 but India will not be among them.
As sporadic tensions flare over US-China trade, a fierce debate also continues at home, centred on whether Thailand should join a trade pact touted as creating the third-largest free trade area in the world.
The #NoCPTPP hashtag is back on trend overnight, after the Shippers’ Council supported Thailand to participate in CPTPP negotiations to create impetus for the economy.
Thailand’s cabinet has agreed to set up a committee to consider whether Thailand should seek membership in an Asia-Pacific trade agreement after widespread opposition last month amid concerns joining the pact may harm the agriculture industry.
The union and its allies also asked the government not to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership, as they view that the restriction of rights to access medicine under the deal would put the country’s public health system in danger.
Thailand’s cabinet will not consider on Tuesday whether Thailand will seek membership of an Asia-Pacific trade agreement due to widespread opposition.
The Commerce Ministry is pushing for cabinet approval for Thailand’s bid to join the (CPTPP) amid fierce opposition from civil groups which have argued the move will have an adverse impact on food security and access to medicines.
Thailand loses duty free access for 42.2 billion baht in exports to the US market from today, unless the kingdom committed to labour rights reforms.
Pakistan and Thailand will hold political consultations at the secretary level as well as organise meetings of the Joint Economic Commission to further bolster economic relations between the two nations.
FTA Watch and Thai civil society slammed government’s attempt to push Thailand into CPTPP FTA while the country have no negotiating power; risking negative impacts on Thai small farmers, rights over seeds and breeds, and access to medicine.
The EU has expressed interest in pursuing a number of free trade agreements (FTAs) in the region, not only with Thailand but eventually with Asean as a whole, says EU-Asean Business Council Chairman Donald Kanak.
The cabinet is expected to make a decision by April or May on whether Thailand will join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)
Brexit could pave the way for a free trade agreement between Thailand and the United Kingdom, says director-general of the trade negotiation department.
The Commerce Ministry is scheduled to propose cabinet endorsement of Thailand’s participation in signing the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) by the middle of this year.
Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi promised on Tuesday to help Thailand join a trans-Pacific free trade agreement at an early date.
Thailand and Bangladesh will kick off talks to establish a free trade agreement. The Thai cabinet has also approved a proposal to sign an FTA with Turkey.
Negotiations on FTA between Pakistan and Thailand are in final stage, however, Pakistani exports must prepare themselves right now to penetrate deep into the South East Asian markets through Thailand with full preparedness.
The European Free Trade Association (Efta), a regional trade bloc and free trade area consisting of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland, is keen to revive free trade agreement (FTA) talks with Thailand.
