ISDS Case Map
Thailand
Six years after India and Thailand executed a limited free-trade agreement involving just 82 products, the two countries are now ready to work on a full-fledged pact in goods, services and investments.
Indian auto-parts makers and renewable-energy firms are looking to Thailand as an investment hub for Southeast Asia because of the privileges offered under the Asean-India free-trade agreement, says India's largest industrial group.
Thailand today said it will push for the conclusion of a free trade agreement with India and other members of Bimstec by July, enabling tariff reduction next year.
Thailand should produce about 700,000 skilled labourers to serve the investment influx from Japanese small and medium-sized enterprises after the ongoing revision in the Japan-Thailand Economic Partnership Agreement (Jtepa).
Lower export barriers are spurring trade and investment from China, but local producers now worry that a flood of cheap Chinese imports will put them out of business.
Thailand will soon start talks with Australia on opening up the two countries' markets to more goods and services under their five-year-old free-trade agreement.
'The purpose of the project is to respond to the vigorous growth of the ASEAN-China free trade area,' said Dong Hongqi, president of the Ashima Yunnan Cultural Industry Group, a Yunnan-based state enterprise, brushing off criticism that the complex was designed to promote cheap Chinese goods on the Thai market to the detriment of local producers.
Thailand on Tuesday said a comprehensive market-opening pact with India is expected to be concluded in 2011, giving a boost to bilateral trade, set to cross USD 6.5 billion this fiscal.
The Thai government wants the European Union to expand free trade talks to cover labour in addition to existing pacts on industry, services and investment.
The Thai government has agreed to include alcoholic drinks in the framework of a free trade agreement being negotiated with the European Union.
