US 'welcomes' Thailand to join TPP !!

 

The United States “would welcome with open arms” Thailand’s

 ruling junta wanting the country to participate in the US-led

Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade pact without waiting

 for the return of a full democratic government to the country,

the newly appointed US ambassador to Thailand said on Friday.

 

US envoy Glyn Davies gives an interview to the

 Bangkok Post yesterday. Jiraporn Kuhakan

But the normalisation of relations with its partner and ally of

 more than a century will only take place after an elected

 civilian government is installed, Glyn Davies told the

Bangkok Post.

“If they are interested, all they have to do is pick up the phone

 and knock on the door. We are ready to talk about it,”

said the 58-year-old career diplomat, referring to the

 12-nation free trade agreement, which was agreed by Asia-Pacific

 trade negotiators earlier this month. Prime Minister Prayut

 Chan-o-cha, who received a courtesy call from Mr Davies

 on Thursday, has said Thailand has until 2017 to carefully

consider if it is necessary to join the TPP, whose combined

 economic activity accounts for 40% of the global economy.

Three major private-sector bodies — the Thai Bankers’

 Association, the Thai Chamber of Commerce and the

Federation of Thai Industries — say the kingdom’s participation

 in the TPP will boost exports and foreign investments,

 especially in the automotive sector, but civic groups see

 higher prices of medicine and a loss of Thai courts’

 jurisdictive power, especially over tobacco control laws,

 which could eventually boost cigarette consumption.

Mr Davies said Thai authorities have time to join.

 “We put the stress on whether Thailand has an interest in

 joining it. If it does, we would welcome with open arms,”

 he said, adding Bangkok would also need to continue with its

 economic and trade reforms to qualify for such a “high-standard agreement”.

 Despite Washington’s support for Bangkok to join the TPP,

 the 183-year-old bilateral relationship will return to normal

only after Thailand has an elected civilian government,

said Mr Davies, a former US Special Representative for

North Korea Policy.

 “This is one of the reasons why we so often say we hope you

 can get back to that soon because I want that relationship to

 be at 100%. But it won’t stop me from working on the other

 95% of the relationship in the meantime,” said the envoy

who met two senior cabinet ministers and gave four

 one-on-one media interviews this week.

 Constrained by its laws against foreign military governments,

Washington will make its annual military exercise with

Thailand, known as Cobra Gold, another “light” year in 2016,

 said the envoy, whose softened approach in engaging with

the May 2014 coup leaders appears to differ from that of

 his predecessor Kristie Kenney.

 “I think the Cobra Gold military exercise will look a lot like

last year. It would be focusing on humanitarian assistance and

disaster relief as before,” Mr Davies said from his leafy

century-old ambassadorial residence on Wireless Road.

“The US’s existing law and policy put limits on levels of

military-to-military leadership, but real work happens among

 soldiers on the ground and that still goes on.”

Following the 2014 coup, the US army substantially

 scaledback its Cobra Gold personnel from more than 8,000

 in previous years to 3,700 this year.

Section 508 of the Foreign Assistance Act, a US law first

 enacted in 1961, says the United States must cut aid to any

country “whose duly elected head of government is deposed

 by military coup or decree”. However, military cooperation

 in humanitarian activities will continue. Mr Davies said the

 US would offer the the Thai military help again after both

 countries conducted a joint aerial search for “boat people”,

including Rohingya, in the Andaman Sea in May and June

 this year with assistance from US troops based in Malaysia.

 “If there is a need and we can do it, I am sure once again we

 will approach the military government and ask for permission,”

he said as Thai authorities expect movement of migrants

 trying to escape hardship in Myanmar’s Rakhine State and

Bangladesh to start again when the monsoon ends later

 this year and early next year.

Thailand also faces fierce criticism by the United States

over its poor record in addressing human trafficking and

 slavery in its fishing industry. Many Rohingya have been

 sold to work on Thai fishing boats.

 

News,General,Bangkok Post, 31 October 2015.

 

Glad to here that the United State would welcome Thailand

to TPP because the volume of this market represent 40 of

global market.

As some industry will benefit from this market but some loss

so for the maximum benefit of the country,the government

Should analyze ,the country should join the TPP or not.

Sincerely Yours.