Private sector's FTA push
The Joint Public-Private Committee will call a meeting next Thursday to support the government moving forward on free-trade negotiations in order to maintain confidence with trading partners, particularly the United States and Japan.
The meeting will seek a common stand for the private sector and the government's mandate to carry on the talks as soon as possible. The committee consists of the country's three most influential business groups - the Board of Trade of Thailand, the Federation of Thai Industries and the Thai Bankers Association. Phongsak Assakul, president of the Thai Textile Manufacturing Association, said yesterday that the Thai private sector fully supported the government's attempt to make progress on FTA negotiations. He said the private sector was concerned that the delays in signing the Japan-Thailand Economic Partnership Agreement and the talks with the United States will affect the country's trade with two important trading partners. The US and Japan are now negotiating with other countries in Asia. "If they reach an agreement before Thailand, we will lose some trade to those countries," said Phongsak. Representatives from the Thai Textile Manufacturing Association met with Commerce Minister Krirk-krai Jirapaet yesterday to ask for the ministry's support. They said textile and garment exports have had flat growth since early this year, partly because traders have no confidence in the possibility of concluding bilateral pacts with Japan and the US, as well as the baht's appreciation. Petchanet Pratruangkrai, The Nation
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