Thailand to host int'l seminar on 4IR

BANGKOK, January 7 (TNA) - Thailand will, early next week, host a grand international seminar on preparations by member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) since the world's First Industrial Revolution in the 18th century. Auramon Supthaweethum, Director-General of the Department of Trade Negotiations, under the Ministry of Commerce, told journalists on Monday that Thai Commerce Minister Sontirat Sontijirawong will open the international seminar in Bangkok on January 14, as part of the the ASEAN Senior Economic Officials' Meeting (ASEOM) 2019 and related forums to be hosted by Thailand during January 12-18. Auramon said that the Thai commerce minister will also deliver a special speech during the inaugural session of next Monday's international seminar, in which executives of Thailand's public and private agencies as well as those from other ASEAN member countries will also participate. The 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) marks 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. According to the senior official, Thailand will also host a meeting of an ASEAN panel tasked with negotiations on the establishment of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) to prepare for the next regional meeting on RCEP, set to be held on the Indonesian Bali Island next month, as all 16 negotiating countries on RCEP have targeted to conclude the new potential free trade agreement (FTA) in the region by 2019. Besides, the Thai Kingdom will host other meetings and activities related to the upcoming ASEOM 2019, including the meeting of the Committee of the Whole for the AEC to discuss comprehensively trade in goods, trade in services and e-commerce in the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). The Ministry of Commerce has announced, meanwhile, that Thailand will start playing the role of the ASEAN Chairmanship, under the theme of "Advancing Partnership for Sustainability", at the upcoming one-week ASEOM 2019 and related forums in the capital. (TNA)