December election hoped to restore democracy to Thailand

The newly signed trade pact would strengthen the economic relationship between the two countries.

Fukuda raised the issue in discussions with Thai Foreign Minister Nitya Pibulsonggram who called on him during a visit to Japan for the Inaugural Meeting of the JapanThailand Joint Committee on Economic Partnership.

 "I have told the prime minister that the new elected government will honour all pacts signed with Japan including the JapanThailand Economic Partnership Agreement (JTEPA) which came into force on November 1," Nitya said after the meeting.

The JTEPA was opposed by nongovernmental organisations in Thailand who said the pact offered the chance for Japan to dump toxic waste and used goods on the Thai market. They appealed to the Ombudsman to consider whether the agreement was unconstitutional as the foreign ministry failed to get approval from the National Legislative Assembly before the signing.

However, the JTEPA was signed in April while the current constitution became effective in August.  

Nitya and his Japanese counterpart Masahiko Koumura, adopted two documents: the Operational Procedures and the Lists for the Purpose of Transparency concerning Trade in Services were exchanged. The two documents are necessary procedures for the implementation of the JTEPA agreement.

The two parties also need to set up 20 subcommittees to enforce the agreement, according to the foreign ministry's deputy spokesman Piriya Khempon. Thailand will push for the establishment of four committees by next year to study the Rules of Origin, Trade in Services, Movement of Natural Persons and Paperless Trading, he said.

In the meeting in Tokyo, the two sides also discussed more cooperation on nine sectors including forestry and fishery, education and human resource development, information technology and intellectual property, Piriya added.

by Nuntida Puangthong

The Nation, Tokyo