Private sector urges govt move for TPP

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Private enterprises have called on the government to take steps for Thailand to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and to take more action in support of export growth to ensure competitiveness amid rising production costs and sluggishness in many markets.

The Nation

Speaking on the sidelines of the 60th-anniversary celebrations of the International Trade Promotion Department yesterday, exporters shared the view that it would be hard for overseas sales to grow as significantly as they had in the past because of slower global economic expansion, while fuel prices and production costs are expected to rise.

They urged the government to accelerate the promotion of Thailand’s growth by tightening cooperation with trading partners and taking measures to support export expansion.

Payungsak Chartsuthipol, chairman of the Federation of the Thai Industries, said the government should urgently join the TPP negotiations, otherwise the country could lose competitiveness to its rivals.

The leaders of the nine TPP countries – Australia, Brunei, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, Vietnam and the United States – last year agreed on the outlines of an ambitious pact that would enhance trade and investment among partner states, promote innovation, economic growth and development, and support the creation and retention of jobs.

Payungsak said the Thai industrial and farming sectors stood ready to develop and compete during a period of enhanced liberalisation. The government should urgently help small and medium-sized enterprises improve their competitiveness before the market is liberalised for other TPP members.

The government should…

Full story from The Nation at http://goo.gl/Hd9vH