[Ip-health] Thailand: Top FTA official throws in the towel

[Robert Weissman]

*_http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2006/01/18/headlines/index.php?news=3Dhea=
dlines_19682846.html
The Nation (Bangkok)

FREE TRADE: Top FTA official throws in the towel_*

*Published on January 18, 2006*

/Nit says political pressure too much as talks with US mired in dispute.
Nit Pibulsongkram is to resign as head of the Thai team negotiating a
free-trade agreement with the United States because of the tremendous
political pressure weighing on him, according to a source at Government
House./

The source said Nit wanted to step down from the job because he feels
that the latest round of Thai-US talks in Chiang Mai had failed to make
progress and he has come under heavy political attack.

Rumours over Nit=92s possible resignation circulated last week during the
start of the sixth round of the free-trade negotiations. Nit leads the
negotiations for Thailand and his counterpart, Barbara Weisel, heads the
US delegation. Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Somkid
Jatusripitak sent his trusted aide Uttama Savanayana to sit in as
co-leader of the Thai team in Chiang Mai because he wanted to control
the direction of the negotiations.

Uttama also accompanied Somkid to Hong Kong in December last year to
take part in the Doha Round of multilateral trade talks under the
auspices of the World Trade Organisation.

Nit, a career diplomat, formerly served as Thailand=92s ambassador to the U=
S.

According to Commerce Ministry sources, Uttama is likely to succeed Nit
if Somkid, who administers the Thaksin government=92s economic policy,
accepts Nit=92s resignation.

In Chiang Mai, the Thai-US free trade talks ran into a snag following a
mass protest by non-governmental organisations and activist groups. More
than 10,000 people took to the streets of the northern city to argue
that a free-trade deal will put Thailand at a disadvantage in its
commercial dealings with the US. Nit attempted to talk with the
protestors, but instead they burnt his effigy.

Uttama=92s role in Chiang Mai was very prominent and he almost
overshadowed Nit. He took part in all the key meetings that required
final decisions and on one occasion, issued a statement on the outcome
of the negotiations.

The sources said the negotiations have now reached at a critical stage
where political decisions are required most of the time and tough
political will is needed.

=93It is more appropriate to have someone who is not a civil servant, who
has strong political backing and who has direct access to the political
leadership to take charge over the negotiations,=94 said one Commerce
Ministry source.

Narongchai Arkasanee, an advisor to Somkid on international trade, has
also been named as a possible successor to Nit, but sources claim he
doesn=92t get along well with Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

chara Pongvuthitham

The Nation