Thailand wants to become a member of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) in 2018, said Thai Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak on March 29.
Thai Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak (Photo: AFP/VNA)
Bangkok (VNA) – Thailandwants to become a me♔mber of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement forTrans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) in 2018, said Thai Deputy Prime Minister SomkidJatusripitak on March 29.
Earlier, the Thai government askedthe Commerce Ministry to look into the procedures to join the agreement.
Speaking with reporters, Somkiꦿd stressed it is a significant issue and if thereis no problem, Thailand will join CPTPP this year.
He added that Thailand will seek supportfrom Japan to join the agreement.
CPTPP membership could benefitThailand as the country’s electronics, seafood and agriculture face strongcompetitors in manufacturing and export like Malaysia and Vietnam. On March 22, Somkid said thatThailand needs to join CPTPP as well as the Regional Comprehensive EconomicPartnership (RCEP) to protect its benefit. Thailand will lose trade andinvestment opportunities if it does not take part in the CPTPP, he said, addingthat the Commerce Ministry is conducting a study of what Thailand will gain andlose under the trade deal. The CPTPP was officially inked at aceremony chaired by Chilean President Micelle Bachelet in Santiago de Chile onMarch 8, 2018. The trade ministers of 11 countriesparticipating in the trade pact, namely Australia, Brunei, Canada, Malaysia,Mexico, Japan, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam, attended the event. -VNA
Malaysia sends a strong signal of the country’s commitment towards an open and liberal trading system following the signing of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) in Chile on March 8.
As the host of the APEC Year 2017, Vietnam played an important role in promoting the signing of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) in Chile on March 8, said New Zealand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Winston Peters.
The US will consider rejoining the freshly-signed Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) after it deals with other priorities, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has said.
The Cabinet of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe approved bills to ratify the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) on March 27 to bring the long-promised multilateral trade pact close to enforcement.
The focus of the upcoming ASEAN Summit in October will be on strengthening economic relations through intra-regional trade and investment, as well as regional initiatives on energy networks and connectivity.
Indonesian Ambassador Rina P. Soemarno, who currently serves as Chair of the ASEAN Committee in Prague, emphasised the spirit of regional solidarity and cooperation, and the importance of enhancing ASEAN–Czech Republic relations.
The Indonesian Government is determined to seize opportunities to enhance the competitiveness of national agricultural products, an official has said, adding that it always strives to promote exports at the highest possible level, based on a mutually beneficial foundation.
Finance Minister Pichai Chunhavajira has outlined a six-point strategy to promote innovation, support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and push for Thailand's removal from the US Trade Representative (USTR)’s special 301 Watch List regarding intellectual property rights protection among trading partners.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Israel Ly Duc Trung emphasised ASEAN’s central role in regional mechanisms such as the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the East Asia Summit (EAS), highlighting its significant contribution to promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in Southeast Asia.
The consumer index of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC), fell to 51.7 in July from 52.7 in the previous month. The sluggish economy and the trade war, as well as high living costs, continue to undermine confidence, the university said.
Deputy Speaker of the Hungarian National Assembly Istvan Jakab expressed his hope for further deepening Hungary’s ties with ASEAN countries and called for their support for Hungary’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
The 30-storey tower crumbled seconds after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake hit neighbouring Myanmar on March 28. The partially built high-rise, meant to house the State Audit Office (SAO), was the only building in Thailand to collapse, killing 89 people on the site, mostly construction workers.
Indonesia’s waste generation is projected to exceed 50 million tonnes in 2025. Of the total, more than 20 million tonnes could potentially enter the ocean through rivers, coastal areas, small islands, ports, and marine activities, and thereby, pose a risk to coastal ecosystems and marine biota.
Indonesia is accelerating plans to increase lithium imports, particularly from Australia, in a bid to fill gaps in the electric vehicle (EV) battery supply chain and realise its ambition of becoming a global EV manufacturing hub.
Malaysia’s gross expenditure on R&D (GERD) reached 1.01% of gross domestic product in 2022, a notable increase, with more than 51% contributed by the industry sector. The country is targeting GERD to reach 2.5% by 2030, in line with the national goal of transforming into a high-technology nation.
The facility was established in response to a growing shift in the Filipino labour force from the Middle East to Japan, where workers are seeking safer working environments.
In the latest Indonesia-US trade agreement in July, the US administration agreed to reduce the reciprocal tariff, which was initially set at 32% by US President Donald Trump last April, to 19%.
Real estate agency ERA Singapore estimated that there are 2,703 condo developments in Singapore today, of which 836 or 31% are at least 30 years old. In 10 years, this number is expected to climb to 1,160, assuming none is sold en bloc.
The new framework is designed to ensure that incoming investments deliver tangible national benefits, such as the creation of high-quality jobs for Malaysians and the development of local company ecosystems and technologies.
Singapore led with a total of 8.8 billion USD in realised investment, followed by Hong Kong and mainland China, Malaysia, and Japan with 8 billion USD, 1.7 billion USD and 1.6 billion USD, respectively.
Thai Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai on August 7 outlined his strategy for tackling drug problems in Thailand, aiming for a "Zero Drugs Thailand" within three months.
The US has described Malaysia's role as Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as vital in helping ease tension between Thailand and Cambodia.
Indonesia ranks as the world's sixth-largest gold reserve holder, producing an estimated 160 to 200 tonnes annually, mainly through major state-owned enterprises. Despite this, much of the mined gold is held or traded abroad. In 2024 alone, Indonesia exported gold worth 5.4 billion USD while reimporting 2.6 billion USD worth of the metal.
Cambodia and Thailand vowed not to undertake provocative actions that may escalate tensions, including entering the other side’s air space and territory, and refrain from constructing or enhancing military infrastructure.
Thai Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak (Photo: AFP/VNA) 
