Bangkok (VNA)- Thailand ispreparing to embark on talks on a free-trade agreement with the EUwith the aim of concluding the deal within two years.
Auramon Supthaweethum, Director-General of the Department of Trade Negotiations under the CommerceMinistry, the ministry is preparing to lead a team of state agencies tonegotiate the first round of the EU-Thailand FTA, scheduled for Sept 18-22 inBrussels, Belgium. This will include meetings at the head of delegation leveland 19 expert-level subcommittee meetings.
The Institute of Future Studies for Development, whichhas conducted a preliminary assessment👍 of the benefits and impacts of the EU-Thailand FTA, expects it to expand Thailand's GDP by 1.28% annually, increase exports by2.83% annually, and raise imports by 2.81% annually. Furthermore, it willsupport foreign investment and job creation in Thailand while elevating internationa❀lstandards in related areas such as intellectual property rights, labour rights,environmental standards, and sustainability.
In the first seven months of this year, trade between Thailandand the EU amounted to 24.7 billion USD, with Thailand exporting goods worth 12.9billion to the EU and importing goods valued at 11.8 billion from the EU. Thailand's key exports include computers andcomponents, air-conditioners and parts, jewellery, electronic circuit boards,and rubber products. Meanwhile, Thailand mainly imports include machinery and components, pharmaceuticaland medical products, chemicals, and electrical machinery and components./.
In an attempt to prevent the spread of tuberculosis (TB) in the community, Thailand’s Department of Disease Control (DDC) is urging the public to get screened for the disease, especially individuals with underlying medical conditions.
Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said on September 12 that his government will ask employers to raise the minimum daily wage to 400 THB (11.4 USD) as soon as possible.
Thailand is bolstering measures to “restart tourism” and expect to welcome 40 million foreign visitors in 2024 and earn 3.1 trillion THB (88 billion USD) in tourism revenue, government spokesman Chai Wacharonke announced on September 13.
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.
Efforts to empower women must transcend dialogue and translate into concrete commitments, including corporate pledges and government partnerships, according to the spouse of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
The forum featured two in-depth discussion sessions, engaging representatives from governments, think tanks, and businesses from both ASEAN and China, on how to forge closer ties for a common future.
The new FIFA Hub in Jakarta will not only support football development in Indonesia but also serve as a coordination centre for 21 football associations across Southeast and East Asia.
Minister Counselor Nguyen Hoang Nguyen reaffirmed Vietnam’s principled and consistent stance on the Palestine issue, calling for an immediate and lasting ceasefire across the entire Gaza Strip.
PM Anwar Ibrahim affirmed the determination of Malaysia, as ASEAN Chair for 2025, to utilise all viable regional mechanisms of the bloc and work with partners to de-escalate violence and restore a peace process led by Myanmar.
Illustrative image (Photo: aseanbriefing.com) 
