泰国热衷加入TPP

 

Thailand warms up to TPP

Civil society, academics and businesses generally want Thailand to join the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) that was finalized last October, according to the Commerce Ministry. But they have also urged caution, telling policymakers to study the likely impact of TPP carefully before making any final decision.
“The Commerce Ministry has had meetings with businesses, non-profit organisations, academics and the farm and livestock sector over the past few months, and they mostly said Thailand should join the new the new trade bloc," said Commerce Vice-Minister Winichai Chaemchaeng, the Bangkok Post has reported.
"But we still need to hear comments from other parties, particularly in provincial areas where we are scheduled to hold meetings from February."
Winichai said the business sector was particularly active in backing Thailand joining the TPP. The business sector says rice, sugar, frozen and processed shrimp, canned tuna, tapioca and starch, garments, gems and jewellery, pharmaceuticals, air transport, health tourism and direct sales would be most competitive if Thailand joined the pact.
But farm operators have urged authorities to study the pros and cons, saying Thailand was not yet able to compete with TPP members in terms of production costs of animal feeds.
They also urged the government to work out remedial measures for sectors that would be hit if Thailand joins the TPP.
The TPP is a trade agreement among 12 countries led by the US and includes Canada, Mexico, Peru, Chile, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Vietnam and Brunei.

The 12 TPP members account for 40 per cent of Thailand's trade and 45 per cent of foreign direct investment (FDI) annually.

Thailand has free-trade agreements with most of the 12 countries except for the US, Canada and Mexico.

译文如下：

泰国热衷加入TPP

根据商务部，民间团体、学者和企业家普遍希望泰国加入12国跨太平洋伙伴关系协议(TPP)，这于去年10月完成,。但他们还是谨慎的敦促,告诉决策者仔细研究TPP可能带来的影响，然后再做出最后的决定。

“在过去几个月里，商务部会见了企业、非营利组织、学者以及农业和畜牧业,他们大多说泰国应该加入新的贸易集团,”商务部副部长Winichai Chaemchaeng说,曼谷邮报报道。

“但我们仍需要从其他各方听取意见,尤其是在我们定于2月举行会议的省级区域。”

Winichai表示,商业部门尤其支持泰国加入TPP。商业部门说，如果泰国加入TPP，大米、糖、冷冻和加工虾、金枪鱼罐头、木薯淀粉、服装、宝石和珠宝、制药、航空运输、健康旅游、直接销售是最有竞争力的。

但农场经营者还是敦促当局研究利弊,说泰国在动物饲料的生产成本方面，还不能与TPP成员国竞争。

TPP是一个以美国为首的12国间的贸易协定,包括加拿大、墨西哥、秘鲁、智利、澳大利亚、新西兰、日本、新加坡、马来西亚、越南和文莱。

12个TPP成员占泰国贸易的40%和45%的外国直接投资(FDI)。

除了美国、加拿大和墨西哥以外，泰国与12国中的大多数国家签订了自由贸易协定。