[Ip-health] Thai Govt. to Consider proposed points of opponents of Thai-US FTA

[Mike Palmedo]

http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=3D5784

Government to consider proposed points of opponents of Thai-US FTA

LOEI, Jan 10 (TNA) - The Thai government will go ahead with its move to
negotiate and conclude a bilateral free trade area (FTA) agreement with
the United States, but will take proposed points raised by opponents of
the planned Thai-US FTA into consideration, Prime Minister Thaksin
Shinawatra said on Tuesday.

The prime minister told journalists before an official cabinet meeting
in this northeastern province of Loei that the proposed Thai-US FTA pact
would be concluded with a win-win situation, reiterating that Thailand
would not be put at the disadvantage.

The Thai leader promised, however, that the government would take
proposed points raised by the opponents into account.

"Actually, the opposition has helped boost Thailand's bargaining power
at the ongoing negotiations with the US," he noted.

On Monday, Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Somkid
Jatusripitak also reiterated that negotiations for establishment of the
planned Thai-US FTA would be made with caution because foreign potential
partners are watching a final result.

Speaking of the 6th round of the negotiations being held at the Sheraton
Hotel in Thailand's northern resort province of Chieng Mai from January
9-13 amid a rally of thousands of protestors in front of the venue, Mr.
Somkid said the prime minister had told Nittaya Pibulsongkram, head of
the Thai negotiation team, to heed opinions and suggestions of the
opponents and civil groups.

The premier had also instructed the provincial governor to provide a
place for the opponents and try to keep order to ensure the negotiations
proceeds smoothly.

As well, the head of the Thai negotiation team had been told to find an
opportunity to discuss with the House and Senate Economic Commissions to
exchange views and to coordinate with the Federation of Thai Industries
(FTI) for organizing of a public hearing to listen to people's opinions
on pros and cons of the planned Thai-US FTA.

Dr. Somkid conceded the negotiations for the planned FTA with the US are
more difficult than those with other countries held in the past.

Many countries had kept a watch on whether the negotiations would be
successful or not before deciding to begin talking with Thailand on
their own FTAs as planned, he noted.

He said the Thai government wants to see the successful end of the
negotiations with Washington by the end of this year as earlier expected
by US President George W. Bush.

However, he said, the government would not back down to any proposals
that put the country at the disadvantage.

The Thai negotiation team would attempt to minimize any possible adverse
effects on the Thai economy from the proposed Thai-US FTA accord.

Meanwhile, a leading academic has called for the government to suspend
or defer the Thai-US FTA negotiations over the next couple of years
until sectors in Thailand can adjust themselves to cope with American
rivals.

The leading academic, Mr. Ath Pisalvanitch, who heads the Centre for
International Trade Study of Thai Chamber of Commerce University, noted
that all sectors in Thailand are not ready for the opening up of the
planned Thai-US FTA.

"Even Thailand's agricultural sector which is considered mostly ready
now for the planned Thai-US FTA, still needs some more time to improve
quality, productivity and standard of Thai farm products; while the
banking sector is partly ready and the service sector is not ready at
all in terms of developed database, personnel, capital and advanced
technology. If the planned Thai-US FTA pact is concluded at the moment,
Thailand's insurance businesses will be mostly affected," he pointed out.

Mr. Ath called for the government to take overall impacts on the Thai
economy caused by the planned FTA into consideration, rather than
pinning on a hope that the proposed bilateral FTA accord with the US
will boost Thailand's trade surplus with the US, saying without the
planned FTA, Thailand has already gained a trade surplus of around Bt300
billion annually with the US.

He also urged the government to unveil anticipated pros and cons of the
planned FTA to the general public and to have a strong stance not to be
pressed by the US to continue the negotiations. (TNA)--E002, E005


--
Mike Palmedo
Research and Web
Consumer Project on Technology
T =96 202-332-2670
F =96 202-332-2673
mpalmedo@cptech.org