The NGOs said they planned to appeal to the Supreme Administrative Court today.

The NGOs, led by FTA Watch, will ask the court to suspend the signing of the Japan-Thailand Economic Partnership Agreement (Jtepa), scheduled for Tuesday. The petition accuses Foreign Ministry officials of failing to disclose information to the public.

Bantoon Setthasiroj of FTA Watch said his organisation would discuss what to do next.

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont is scheduled to go to Tokyo to witness the signing ceremony. Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will also attend.

Earlier yesterday a group of Japanese NGOs, led by the National Coalition of Workers Farmers and Consumers for Safe Food and Health, also tried to block the signing of the agreement. They lodged a petition with the Office of His Majesty's Principal Private Secretary, asking the King to intervene to stop the signing.

The Japanese NGOs also joined a debate on the merits of the deal at Chulalongkorn University .

The Japanese petition states that Jtepa would "create big problems that would bring misery to people in both countries". It highlighted the fact that, under the agreement, Japan will accelerate its shipments of waste products to Thailand, despite the Basel Convention on the Control of Trans-boundary Movements of Hazardous Waste.

Thai FTA Watch plans to go to the Japanese Embassy in Bangkok today to protest against the pact.

Deputy PM and Industry Minister Kosit Panpiemras conceded that there were opposing views on Jtepa. "But the most important thing is that we have to consider the benefits to the overall economy. I personally think the signing of the deal has been done according to the proper process. It will help drive the Thai economy, which is increasingly integrated with others," he said.

Meanwhile, Thailand's Trade Negotiations Department said that the pact protects Thailand's environment from hazardous waste and micro-organisms.

Petchanet Pratruangkrai

The Nation