Thailand’s Poor will Suffer – Academics want Free Trade Agreement Negotiations Postponed for 5 Years

 | Thu 12 Sep 2013 12:38 ICT

CityNews – Dr. Prakong Wittayasai, a member of the Kue Darun Foundation and an AIDS academic, said that FTA (Free Trade Agreement) Watch members along with HIV-related foundations and others will meet 18th – 19th September at Tha Pae Gate to discuss FTA Thai-EU negotiations.

Negotiations will take place 16th – 20th September at Le Meridien Hotel in Chiang Mai.

Dr. Prakong told the press:

“The government should consider the effects of the agreement on the citizens of Thailand, an example being that medicines will be more expensive when Thailand cannot make generic drugs and must adhere to the TRIPs+ pact.

European agriculture companies will be allowed to intervene in Thai agriculture, which could result in farmers becoming laborers for the Europeans. If agreed, alcohol and tobacco will be imported at a cheap price, which could lead to more health problems. If Thailand does not study the agreement very hard, it may lose a lot to Europe. We request that Thailand postpone the negotiations for at least 5 years,” Dr. Prakong said.

FTA Watch website: http://www.ftawatch.org

? FTA Thai-EU ?

                ? ? ? ? ? ? ? FTA watch ? ? ? HIV ? ? ? ? ? FTA Thai-EU ? 16-20 ? 56  ? ? ?.? ? 18-19 ? 56 ? ? ? ? FTA ?

                ? ? 2553 ? 2 ? ? ? GSP ? 2558 ? FTA Watch ? ? 23 ? ? (GSP) ? ? ? GSP ? 3 ? ? 17.5% ? ? ? GSP ? ? ? GSP ?

                 ? ? ? ? TRIPs+  ? ? UPOV 1991 ? ? ? ? ? ? ? FTA Thai-EU ? ? ? ? 5 ??