Thailand to first play ASEAN chairmanship role at ASEOM 2019

BANGKOK, January 7 (TNA) - The Ministry of Commerce has announced that Thailand will start playing the role of the ASEAN Chairmanship, under the theme of "Advancing Partnership for Sustainability", at the ASEAN Senior Economic Officials' Meeting (ASEOM) 2019 and related forums, set to be held in Bangkok during January 12-18. Auramon Supthaweethum, Director-General of the ministry's Department of Trade Negotiations, made the announcement on Monday, stating that the agenda of the upcoming ASEOM 2019 includes the endorsement by member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) of such key economic issues as the preparation of the 10-member ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) for the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) since the world's First Industrial Revolution in the 18th century, marking the emerging global breakthroughs of such advanced digital technologies as robots and automation systems, artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of things, as well as nanotechnology, along with the endorsement of such other key issues as the single-window system, under which customs procedures of all ASEAN member countries be integrated and connected through the electronic network (e-customs) to more facilitate regional cross-border trade, and the regional sustainable fishery policy. Auramon told journalists that the agenda of the upcoming ASEOM 2019 also includes discussions by ASEAN member countries on a plan to conclude negotiations on the establishment of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) by 2019 as targeted by all 16 negotiating countries, whose total population exceeds 3.56 billion and gross domestic product (GDP) totals over 25.3 trillion US dollars, or about 31 per cent of the global GDP entirely, with their total trade value of about 10.7 trillion US dollars, or about 29 per cent of the world's overall trade values, as well as on an accelerating move toward the conclusion of negotiations on free trade agreements (FTAs) between Thailand and Turkey, Thailand and Sri Lanka and Thailand and Pakistan. Besides, discusssions on the preparation by the 10-member ASEAN bloc to be part of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), whose total population exceed 500 million and total GDP stands about 10.5 trillion US dollars, or about 13.3 per cent of the global GDP entirely, with their total trade value of about 134.6 brillion US dollars, or about 3 per cent of the world's overall trade values, and to propose the reform of the Geneva-based World Trade Organization (WTO) in terms of its transparency and trade dispute resolution mechanisms, as well as the preparation by Thailand to start negotiations on FTAs with the European Union (EU) and with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), which is part of the Schengen Area but is not part of the European Union Customs Union, are included in the agenda of the forthcoming ASEOM 2019. According to the senior Thai official, the agenda of the forthcoming ASEOM 2019 also includes discussions on the progress or developments of tasks under the supervision of ASEAN senior officials, including a review on regional agreements on trade in goods, trade in services and on investment and the rule of origins, and on cooperation plans between ASEAN and the 10-member bloc's dialogue partners, namely the United States, the EU, China, Japan, South Korea, Russia, India, Australia and New Zealand. ASEAN is now, meanwhile, Thailand's top trading partner, accounting for about 22.7 per cent of the Kingdom's total trade on the world market, followed by China and Japan, with Thailand's trade with other ASEAN member countries during the first 11 months of 2018 standing about 105.43 billion US dollars, a 14.3 per cent year-on-year increase, making Thailand gain a trade surplus of about 20.78 billion US dollars. (TNA)