Thais against Apec FTA
Bangkok Post | 10 November 2006
Thais against Apec FTA
PHUSADEE ARUNMAS
Thailand opposes a US proposal to upgrade the voluntary Apec trade agreement to a legally binding Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific, saying it is unnecessary and impractical.
Washington will float its new regional FTA idea at the two-day Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in Hanoi next Wednesday and Thursday.
Chutima Bunyapraphasara, director-general of the Trade Negotiations Department, said the idea was impractical because the 21 Apec economies differed so much. In addition, she said, it was against Apec’s original objective of voluntary economic cooperation.The administration of US President George W. Bush has been pushing the idea through the Apec Business Advisory Council and wants it seriously considered at the Apec summit in Australia next year.
Miss Chutima also said Thai Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont would use the Apec summit as an opportunity to explain to the international community that the ’’sufficiency economy’’ philosophy would not impede a market economy.
He will also endorse the Hanoi Action Plan and Trade Facilitation Action Plan, aiming to help the private sector reduce operating costs in the region by 5% by 2010.
Miss Chutima also said her department had been reviewing bilateral trade agreements already in effect as well as suspended agreements and would submit its ’’best advice’’ on the pros and cons of FTAs to the cabinet next month.
Thailand has sealed bilateral FTA pacts with Australia and New Zealand and specific agreements on fruit and vegetables and industrial goods with China and India respectively.
