[Thailand] Chief free trade negotiator quits

From The Bangkok Post

ROI ET, Jan 19 (TNA) – Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra confirmed on Thursday that the head of Thai negotiating team on the proposed Thai-United States Free Trade (FTA) Agreement has stepped down, but insisted that the decision would not have any adverse impact on the trade talks.

On the fourth day of an anti-poverty mission in this northeastern province, the prime minister said that Nitya Pibulsongkram had resigned citing recent criticism of his role in the negotiations by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) as the main reason for his decision.

The sixth-round of talks, which were disrupted briefly by thousands of protestors from several civil society groups, ended last week in the northern province of Chiang Mai with little progress.

The main stumbling blocks were intellectual property rights, drug patents, liberalisation of financial services and telecommunications, according to both Thai and US negotiators.

The prime minister said Mr. Nitya had told him that he was too discouraged to proceed with the task, but was willing to continue as an adviser to the government negotiating team.

The rest of the team, led by Vice Minister for Commerce Uttama Savanayana, would take care of future negotiations, according to Mr. Thaksin.

Mr. Nitya, a career diplomat, was a former Thai ambassador to the United States.

He has been credited with laying the groundwork for the first five rounds of the talks over the past 18 months.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Kantathi Suphamongkhon said he understood that Mr. Nitya was worried about the progress of the trade negotiations.

He also said that it would be necessary to appoint a successor to assume the role of chief negotiator.

Prime Minister Thaksin and US President George W. Bush indicated last year that they wanted the agreement to be concluded this year.

The United States is Thailand's largest export market, while Thailand is the 18th-biggest US trading partner.

Bilateral trade rose 14 per cent to US$23.9 billion (980 billion baht) in 2004, according to US statistics.

The United States will host the seventh round of talks in Washington DC.