Thailand plans to seek new FTAs to increase exports
Thailand plans to seek more free trade agreements (FTAs) with countries in the Middle East, Africa and Latin America by the second half of this year, a move to expand new export markets.
Bangkok (VNA) – Thailand plans to seek more freetrade agreements (FTAs) with countries in the Middle East, Africa and LatinAmerica by the second half of this year, a move to expand new export markets.
Director-General of the Trade Negotiations Department AuramonSupthaweethum was quoted by local media as saying that the department expectsthe studies will take 6-12 months.
During the studies, she said public hearings will also beheld, with all stakeholders allowed to voice their concerns.
According to Auramon, the studies on the new FTAs wereproposed by the private sector at a recent meeting of a joint public-privatecommittee chaired by Commerce Minister Jurin Laksanawisit to increase exports.
Thailand has 14 FTAs with 18 countries and is a member ofthe Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, which came into force earlythis year.
According to the Foreign Trade Department of Thailand, theuse of FTA privileges by Thai exporters tallied 76.3 billion USD in 2021, thehighest in six years. The utilisation rate of FTA privileges was equivalent to78.2 percent last year, up from 76.5 percent in 2020.
The top five products using FTA privileges were trucks witha weight not exceeding five tonnes, fresh durian, passenger cars with 2,500ccengines, natural synthetic rubber products, and chicken meat and offal. Theimport value under FTA privileges in 2021 rose 28.5 percent to 44.9 billion USD.
Thailand’s export has recovered strongly in 2021 with growth of 17.1 percent.In the first two months of 2022, the increase was 12.2 percent to 44.74 billionUSD. In the first quarter of this year, the country’s export revenue isforecast to expand 7-8 percent./.
The Thai cabinet has approved an extension of a 25 percent corporate tax exemption for bio-plastic companies in order to promote Thailand as a biological hub of the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN).
A ban on styrofoam packaging and single-use plastics in national parks in Thailand came into effect on April 6 as a preventative measure to protect wildlife.
Thailand's exports are forecast to grow by 5 percent this year, at the low end of a previous prediction of 5-8 percent growth, said the Thai National Shippers' Council (TNSC).
In his article, Oscar Sanchez Serra highlighted President Ho Chi Minh’s founding of the Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper on June 21, 1925, which marked the birth of Vietnam's revolutionary press rooted in a bold and far-sighted vision.
Several ASEAN meetings are scheduled to take place in Port Dickson this September, including the Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) for ASEAN Plus Three (APT), the East Asia Summit (EAS), the 15th ASEAN Maritime Forum, and the 13th Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum.
Thailand's Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has ordered the urgent implementation of a national policy to crack down on all forms of call centre scams, online fraud, and illegal gambling, which are now considered threats to national security.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto and EAEU Trade Minister Andrey Slepnev jointly declared the conclusion of FTA talks on the sidelines of the 28th St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF 2025), according to the statement.
The article stressed that throughout his revolutionary career, the founder of modern Vietnam consistently regarded the revolutionary press as a vital part of the Vietnamese Party’s and nation’s revolutionary struggle.
Pichai said the trade talks with the US are important and need to move forward professionally, without regard for any political changes in Thailand, believing that Thailand has clear principles, guidelines and procedures in place.
The tax adjustment supports the Malaysian Government’s strategy to reduce reliance on foreign food supply chains and to assist domestic farmers, a finance official has said.
The proposed venue is located in the Chatuchak area of Bangkok, featuring eight public sites, including Krungthep Aphiwat Central Terminal and several nearby parks.
Connectivity is expected to improve further with the completion of the fifth Laos–Thailand Friendship Bridge by the end of 2025, facilitating logistics and agricultural exports to Vietnam, Thailand, and China.
Two naval gunboats intercepted a fishing vessel carrying 1.5 tonnes of methamphetamine hydrochloride off the coast of the main island of Luzon just before dawn, in a joint operation with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
In the today context of socio-economic development and growth, the professionalism of Vietnam’s revolutionary journalists continues to rise, guided by exemplary mastery of new information technologies and the modernisation of their founding principles to preserve the enduring values of revolutionary journalism.
Thai Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Vuttikrai Leewiraphan Thailand's formal proposal will be substantial enough for the US to consider further detailed negotiations. He hoped for a tariff rate not exceeding 10% and suggested that the US might extend the negotiation period if an agreement is not reached by the July 8 deadline.
Organised by the Ministry of Culture and the Association of Thai Silk & Culture Promotions, the event honors Her Majesty the Queen on her 47th birthday anniversary and promotes Thai craftsmanship on an international stage.
Prensa Latina's recent article on Vietnam’s assurance of smooth and effective transition to a leaner structure highlighted Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s latest directions on implementing 28 resolutions regarding the decentralisation and delegation of authority.
The lab focuses on four key thematic areas: energy transition and green innovation, sustainable agriculture, circular economy and sustainable cities, and nature-based solutions and biodiversity.
The key content of the document titled "Accelerating Innovative Strategies: Addressing the OOSCY Challenges" will be refined further in a seminar preceding the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur this October.
This follows Telegram’s serious failure to address the content that has been repeatedly reported to them, despite various efforts of negotiation and cooperation made by MCMC, it said.
Illustrative image (Source: AFP/VNA) 
