Negotiations over free trade agreements (FTAs) are moving ahead without interruption while politicians continue to squabble over the formation of a new government, according to the chief of the Trade Negotiations Deparment.
Auramon Supthaweethum, director-general of the department, said the department is proceeding with negotiation plans for FTAs with new dialogue partners, with the main focus this year being the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Sri Lanka. These are crucial markets for Thailand, along with those of the European Union (EU), she said.
According to Mrs Auramon, FTA negotiations between Thailand and the UAE are expected to reach a conclusion by the end of this year, while negotiations between Thailand and Sri Lanka are projected to wrap up in February 2024.
Thailand is scheduled to host the sixth round of discussions on unresolved matters on Aug 21-23. The discussions are to include issues related to trade in services, trade facilitation, and technical barriers to trade.
"Although the process of forming a new government has yet to be completed, the progress of negotiations is unlikely to be interrupted. This is because the negotiations are currently being handled by government officials, and the final results will be presented for approval by the cabinet. By that time, we expect Thailand to have a new government," she said.
"Following that, each country will have a period of at least one year for their internal processes, such as presenting the agreement to parliament. During this time, Thailand is likely to have a government with full authority to sign the agreement."
Describing the progress of Thai-EU FTA negotiations, Mrs Auramon said the first round of discussions is set to begin on Sept 18 in Brussels. The negotiations in the Belgian capital will begin with exchanges regarding the expectations of the two parties and the drafting of provisions for the FTA.
"The opening up of new trade markets through FTA negotiations is essential to address the current global economic situation. FTAs serve as critical points for business operators to expand international trade, granting them special tax privileges and enhancing their competitiveness, especially in products that Thailand supports, such as the globally trending bio-, circular and green products," she said.
Thailand has 14 FTAs in place with 18 countries, along with the RCEP, which took effect in 2022.