Thailand urged to continue negotiations with EU on FTA

BANGKOK, March 5 (TNA) -- Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak said France is supporting Thailand to resume negotiations with the European Union on a Free Trade Area (FTA) agreement. The support given to the kingdom was made Friday during a meeting between Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak with French ambassador to Thailand Gilles Garachon and Bruno Bezard, executive director of Treasury. Mr Somkid said both of them persuaded the Thai government to resume negotiations on FTA with the EU after finding that countries in other regions had achieved considerable progress on the issue and they wanted to see Thailand to also join the agreement. Although time is not right because the European Commission did not want to discuss political issues, economic matter has to move forward, Mr Somkid said. Presently, ASEAN plays a larger role in this region, especially on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), said Mr Somkid, adding that Europe which earlier played a major role in ASEAN wanted to return and resume the role. On his discussions with Norio Yamaguchi, chairman of Japan-ASEAN Cultural and Economic Exchange Committee of the International Friendship Exchange Council, and other delegates, Mr Somkid said he had discussed on ways to promote agricultural industry. He said the Thai government wanted to persuade the Japanese to invest on food industry in Thailand and the timing is right because of low interest rates in Japan. (TNA)