PM to decide on chief negotiator

Bangkok Post
Thursday January 26, 2006
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The decision on who will lead the team negotiating a free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States when talks resume next month will be made next week, with Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra having the final say. ''There should be no problem and the US should understand this well,'' Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Somkid Jatusripitak said yesterday.

''The decision will be made next week,'' Mr Somkid said. He would consult the prime minister before a decision was made.

The chief negotiator needed to be well-educated, capable in economic matters and widely accepted by all parties.

The leading contender to replace Nitya Pibulsonggram is now believed to be Narongchai Akrasenee, honorary adviser to the Fiscal and Economic Policy Institute, because of his experience in business and politics.

Another leading candidate, Uttama Savanayon, who is Mr Somkid's aide, does not have enough experience in international negotiations, sources say.

Mr Narongchai was appointed by Mr Somkid, when he was finance minister, to chair the FTA monitoring committee which was dissolved after less than a year.

A meeting of the International Economic Policy Committee at the Foreign Ministry was formally advised yesterday that Mr Nitya had submitted his resignation.

The meeting discussed concerns from the private sector and anti-free trade groups on issues such as investment, market access and intellectual property protection, a source said.

''Negotiations with the US require wisdom and an attempt to reach common ground. We will communicate more with interested parties so Thai society will have a collective position,'' Mr Somkid said.

On Tuesday experts aired concerns during a seminar on issues on the FTA, including the need for the US to open its market, from elimination of tariffs to technical barriers such as sanitary and phytosanitary measures, and financial liberalisation. A key issue on the Thai-US FTA agenda is patents. Washington wants longer protection from the World Trade Organisation, which sets a maximum 20 years. The US wants to add another five years to the FTA.

Kamol Upakaew, chairman of the Thai network of People Living with HIV/Aids, handed a letter of concern to Mr Somkid on the sidelines of the seminar requesting the Commerce Ministry's Department of Intellectual Property reverse its decision to allow GlaxoSmithKline to patent its anti-retroviral drug, Combid, in Thailand.

Mr Kamol said a course of Combid costs 8,346 baht per month. Allowing a patent would prevent the Government Pharmaceutical Organisation producing a generic form of the drug at 1,500 baht per month.