Thai-Japan free trade pact set for legislative assembly hearing
Thai-Japan free trade pact set for legislative assembly hearing
BANGKOK, Jan 24 2007 (TNA) — The Cabinet gave a greenlight to the proposed Japan-Thailand Economic Partnership Agreement (JTEPA) Tuesday, paving the way for the bill to be sent to the National Legislative Assembly for further scrutiny.
Pisan Manawapat, deputy permanent secretary for Foreign Affairs and the lead Thai negotiator, said the assembly members would decide whether or not Thailand should ratify the draft free trade agreement with Japan.
Although both sides wrapped up talks on the JTEPA early last year, the signing and implementation of the agreement was delayed because of the political turmoil in Thailand that led to the September 19 coup.
Japan is the biggest foreign investor in Thailand and an important export market.
But environmental and anti-free trade campaigners warned Thailand that the draft agreement with Japan could pave the way for dumping of toxic waste and hazardous chemicals in the country.
In a statement last month, the environmental lobby group Greenpeace called on the Thai government to disclose the full text of the document, claiming it lacked assessments of the measure’s social and environmental impacts
Mr. Pisan said that he agreed to meet representatives of the activist group and other campaigners against the trade deal to explain the government’s position and to answer their questions.
The meeting, to be held in February, was first proposed by Gotham Arya, chairman of the National Economic and Social Advisory Council.
"Whether or not there is a free trade agreement with Japan or any other country, for that matter, cannot dump its toxic waste in Thailand. We won’t allow that and have said so many times," Mr. Pisan stressed.
