Thai PM promotes regional economic cooperation

Thai Deputy Secretary-General to the Prime Minister and acting government spokesperson Anucha Burapachaisri revealed on Sunday that Prime Minister and Defense Minister Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha had reported on the outcome of the ASEAN Senior Economic Officials Meeting held in Semarang, Indonesia.

At the meeting, key economic issues were discussed, including progress on FTA negotiation and the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement between ASEAN and Canada which should be concluded in 2024, as well as the ASEAN-China Trade in Goods Agreement and ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement, which are expected to be concluded in 2025.

Also on the agenda was the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand FTA Agreement, for which an amendment protocol will be signed this year.

Together with RCEP, those agreements are expected to enable Thailand's self-certification of the origin of exported goods, Burapachaisri said.

He added the prime minister strives to use existing international frameworks to promote cooperation on economic issues of mutual interest for economic recovery and the benefit of both Thailand and the region.

The meeting also deliberated the establishment of the RCEP Support Unit in the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta.