A shop in Thailand. Illustrative image (Photo: VNA) Bangkok (VNA) – Thailand’s cabinet did notconsider on April 28 whether the country would seek membership of theComprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP)due to widespread opposition.
Due to conflict between different groups, the commerceministry has withdrawn its proposal, Deputy Prime Minister and CommerceMinister Jurin Laksanavisit told reporters.
On April 27, the Commerce Ministry of Thailand said it was presentingthe cabinet its study that shows membership will boost Thailand’s economicgrowth, investment and exports, to help offset the negative impact of theCOVID-19 pandemic.
However, Thai opposition parties, civil society groups andprominent social figures have opposed CPTPP membership, arguing the move willhave an adverse impact on the agricultural and healthcare sectors.
The government of Thailand previously planned to make theCPTPP membership decision in April or May.
The ministry’s Trade Negotiations Department has beenassigned to prepare the related proposal after a study on the pros and cons ofthe CPTPP impact was completed.
According to Auramon, the study has taken into account allrelated issues, particularly access to medicines and compulsory licensing underthe agreement on trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights amongmember nations of the World Trade Organisation.
Meanwhile, Thai farmers and civil society organisationsexpressed concerns about the impact of the new pact's intellectual propertyprovisions which prevent them from saving and reusing seeds that containpatented plant materials. Critics have also been concerned about some CPTPPprovisions' impact on access to affordable medicines as access to medicines isrelated to the protection of intellectual property rights and patents.
A study by Bolliger & Company Thailand, which was hiredby the department, found participation in the CPTPP would boost Thailand's GDPby 0.12 percentage points in revenue a year.
The CPTPP is a trade agreement between Australia, Brunei,Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore andVietnam./.
