Thai deputy government spokeswoman Rachada Dhanadirek. (Photo: The Nation)
Bangkok (VNA) – Thailand andBangladesh will kick off talks to establish a free trade agreement (FTA) duringtheir 5th Joint Trade Committee (JTC) meeting next week.
The two countries will begin negotiations toreduce trade barriers at the January 8 – 9 meeting in Bangkok, deputy government spokeswoman RachadaDhanadirek said shortly after the Thai cabinet approved the Ministry of Commerce’s proposal to host the 5th JTCmeeting.
The two countries have alreadyconducted a joint feasibility study on the FTA, Rachada added.
If the two sides are able to seal an FTA, it will greatly benefitThailand's trade and investment because Bangladesh is one of 57 countries thatare members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Bangladesh is Thailand'sthird-largest trade partner in South Asia, behind India and Pakistan.
The Thai cabinet has also approved the Ministryof Commerce’s proposal to sign an FTA with Turkey this year, Rachada said.
Thailand looks to improve FTAs under the ASEAN framework in 2020, aiming toextend tariff cuts to cover more products, particularly sensitive items.
ASEAN has FTAs with Australia, New Zealand, China, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and Hong Kong (China).The grouping is in the process of negotiating the Regional ComprehensiveEconomic Partnership (RCEP) with partners.
On a bilateral basis, Thailand has 12FTAs in place, with 17 trading partners.
In the first 10 months of last year, Thailand's trade value withall 17 FTA partners amounted to 241 billion USD, with exports worth 118 billion USD and imports 123 billion USD.
The trading partners that generatedthe highest trade value for Thailand were ASEAN (90.7 billion USD), China (65.2 billion USD), Japan (47.7 billion USD), Australia (12.2 billion USD) and the RoK (11.3 billion USD)./.
Thailand began the year with a ban on single-use plastic bags at major stores, continuing a campaign launched by the government and retailers towards a complete ban in 2021 to reduce waste and debris discharged into the sea.
Due to global weak demand and ongoing trade tensions, State investment in big-ticket infrastructure projects and the government's Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) flagship appears to be one of the few lifelines that Thailand can bank on to maintain economic growth momentum in 2020.
The article stressed that throughout his revolutionary career, the founder of modern Vietnam consistently regarded the revolutionary press as a vital part of the Vietnamese Party’s and nation’s revolutionary struggle.
Pichai said the trade talks with the US are important and need to move forward professionally, without regard for any political changes in Thailand, believing that Thailand has clear principles, guidelines and procedures in place.
The tax adjustment supports the Malaysian Government’s strategy to reduce reliance on foreign food supply chains and to assist domestic farmers, a finance official has said.
The proposed venue is located in the Chatuchak area of Bangkok, featuring eight public sites, including Krungthep Aphiwat Central Terminal and several nearby parks.
Connectivity is expected to improve further with the completion of the fifth Laos–Thailand Friendship Bridge by the end of 2025, facilitating logistics and agricultural exports to Vietnam, Thailand, and China.
Two naval gunboats intercepted a fishing vessel carrying 1.5 tonnes of methamphetamine hydrochloride off the coast of the main island of Luzon just before dawn, in a joint operation with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency.
In the today context of socio-economic development and growth, the professionalism of Vietnam’s revolutionary journalists continues to rise, guided by exemplary mastery of new information technologies and the modernisation of their founding principles to preserve the enduring values of revolutionary journalism.
Thai Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Vuttikrai Leewiraphan Thailand's formal proposal will be substantial enough for the US to consider further detailed negotiations. He hoped for a tariff rate not exceeding 10% and suggested that the US might extend the negotiation period if an agreement is not reached by the July 8 deadline.
Organised by the Ministry of Culture and the Association of Thai Silk & Culture Promotions, the event honors Her Majesty the Queen on her 47th birthday anniversary and promotes Thai craftsmanship on an international stage.
Prensa Latina's recent article on Vietnam’s assurance of smooth and effective transition to a leaner structure highlighted Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh’s latest directions on implementing 28 resolutions regarding the decentralisation and delegation of authority.
The lab focuses on four key thematic areas: energy transition and green innovation, sustainable agriculture, circular economy and sustainable cities, and nature-based solutions and biodiversity.
The key content of the document titled "Accelerating Innovative Strategies: Addressing the OOSCY Challenges" will be refined further in a seminar preceding the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur this October.
This follows Telegram’s serious failure to address the content that has been repeatedly reported to them, despite various efforts of negotiation and cooperation made by MCMC, it said.
Efforts to empower women must transcend dialogue and translate into concrete commitments, including corporate pledges and government partnerships, according to the spouse of Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim.
The forum featured two in-depth discussion sessions, engaging representatives from governments, think tanks, and businesses from both ASEAN and China, on how to forge closer ties for a common future.
The new FIFA Hub in Jakarta will not only support football development in Indonesia but also serve as a coordination centre for 21 football associations across Southeast and East Asia.
Minister Counselor Nguyen Hoang Nguyen reaffirmed Vietnam’s principled and consistent stance on the Palestine issue, calling for an immediate and lasting ceasefire across the entire Gaza Strip.
PM Anwar Ibrahim affirmed the determination of Malaysia, as ASEAN Chair for 2025, to utilise all viable regional mechanisms of the bloc and work with partners to de-escalate violence and restore a peace process led by Myanmar.
Talking to the Vietnam News Agency on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Vietnam’s Revolutionary Press Day (June 21, 1925–2025), Nikulina, who is also a veteran journalist of Russia’s Sputnik News, emphasised the vital role of mainstream journalism in defending the truth and maintaining public trust.
Thai deputy government spokeswoman Rachada Dhanadirek. (Photo: The Nation)
