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  1. Negotiations

US-Thailand


The US and Thailand started negotiations on a comprehensive bilateral free trade agreement in June 2004.

Like other recent bilateral free trade agreements with the US, the US-Thailand FTA will cover investment, services, government procurement, intellectual property, as well as agriculture. Many expect it to be modeled on the US-Singapore FTA.

The negotiations have attracted strong opposition and concern among many Thai social movements, farmers to people with HIV/AIDS. A broad civil society coalition, FTA Watch, was formed at the outset to closely monitor the process from a public interest perspective. (Likewise, business interests set up their own US-Thai FTA Coalition.) Under the banner of "sovereignty not for sale!", key issues of popular concern include access to medicine, GMOs in agriculture and patents on life.

The last round of talks took place in Chiang Mai in January 2006 with 10,000 people protesting in the streets and disrupting the meeting. Negotiations have not resumed since.

last update: May 2012

Free trade with US will hurt health care
1-Feb-2006    
Will the hands that save the lives of Thailand's sick be tied once a free trade deal between this country and the United States is signed, later this year?
Thai industrial sector asks preconditions to US FTA pact
29-Jan-2006    
The Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) has urged the government to reach an agreement regarding the origin of raw materials and quality standards of Thai-produced goods with US trade negotiators before signing a Thai-US free trade area (FTA) agreement with Washington.
Government steps up efforts to explain FTA issue to public
27-Jan-2006    
Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Somkid Jatusripitak on Friday instructed state agencies concerned to accelerate disseminating information on negotiations for a planned free trade area (FTA) between Thailand and the United States to ensure that the public get proper understanding on the matter.
New Thai-US FTA chief negotiator to be appointed within January
25-Jan-2006    
A new head of the Thai negotiating team for the proposed Thai-United States Free Trade Area (FTA) agreement is expected to be appointed within this month, Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Somkid Jatusripitak said Wednesday.
Government to go ahead with Thai-US FTA talks
24-Jan-2006    
The government will go ahead with its negotiations with the United States on the proposed Thai-US Free Trade Area (FTA) Agreement, Thai Foreign Minister Kantathi Suphamongkhon reaffirmed here on Tuesday.
Powerful NGO wants open talks
23-Jan-2006     The Nation
Thailand's National Human Rights Commission yesterday asked the government to suspend talks on a free-trade agreement with the United States and to disclose what is being negotiated.
Nitya to stay on for 'sake of the nation'
19-Jan-2006     Bangkok Post
The head of the Thai team negotiating a free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States, Nitya Pibulsonggram, has been persuaded to remain in the ''thankless job'', sources said yesterday.
Thailand: Top FTA official throws in the towel
18-Jan-2006     Bangkok Post
Nit Pibulsongkram is to resign as head of the Thai team negotiating a free-trade agreement with the United States because of the tremendous political pressure weighing on him, according to a source at Government House.
US-Thai FTA: Shin Corp deal could affect FTA talks
17-Jan-2006    
The Shinawatra family's reported plan to sell off its stake in Shin Corp Plc to Singapore's Temasek Holdings might complicate the Thai-US free trade talks and stall negotiations.
Central bank chief wants FTA openness
17-Jan-2006    
Bank of Thailand (BOT) Governor M.R. Pridiyathorn Devakula said he felt the mounting opposition to a free trade area (FTA) was due to the lack of an explanation to the public in a concrete manner.

Referenced sites

Citizen's Trade Campaign: US-Thailand FTA

A US campaign website on the Thai-US FTA

FTA Watch

A coalition of activists, lawyers, NGOs, social movements and labour groups monitoring the US-Thailand FTA negotiations.