Thailand ready for 16th ASEAN Economic Meeting Retreat in Malaysia

BANGKOK, 24 February 2010 (NNT) – Thailand has expressed readiness for participation in the 16th ASEAN Economic Meeting (AEM) Retreat, in an effort to push forward the establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community in 2015.

Deputy Minister of Commerce, Alongkorn Ponlaboot, stated that he would lead Thai representatives to attend the 16th AEM Retreat in Putrijaya City, Malaysia during 27-28 February 2010. He said that many major issues that have not yet been performed as planned, will be brought into discussion.

The economic figures of each ASEAN member country will be briefed by representatives of each country at this unofficial meeting. The information will be announced again at the 16th ASEAN Summit which is scheduled for April in Hanoi, Vietnam, Mr Alongkorn said.

Mr Alongkorn added that the participation of Thailand in this unofficial meeting was to show the readiness for the agreement of the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA) which emphasizes agricultural investment. He, however, concurred that 25 products of the agriculture and fisheries such as rice, flour and sugar were still sensitive towards these changes. He added that such an issue will be discussed among the ASEAN member countries before inking the agreement.

Mr Alongkorn continued by saying that Thailand will be the host of the World Creative Economic Forum at the end of this year. Therefore, he would invite the representatives from International Organizations and ASEAN member countries to draw up the criteria and review the trading policies at this unofficial meeting in order to show transparency on the establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community in 2015. All proposals would be thoroughly considered by Vietnam, the chair of the 16th AEM Retreat.