Does afta create More Trade for Thailand? An Investigation of Some Key Trade Indicators

Partner 

Type 

Title 

Bilateral 

Japan-Thailand Economic Partnership 

Agreement (JTEPA) 

Japan 

Regional 

ASEAN-Japan Comprehensive 

Economic Partnership 

United States 

Bilateral 

Thailand-US FTA 

Bilateral 

Thailand-Australia FTA 

Australia 

Regional 

ASEAN-Australia and NZ FTA 

New Zealand 

Bilateral 

Thailand-NZ Close Economic 

Partnership 

Bilateral 

Thailand-India FTA 

India 

Regional 

ASEAN-India CECA 

Korea 

Regional 

ASEAN-Korea FTA 

China 

Regional 

ASEAN-China CECA Framework 

EU 

Regional 

ASEAN-EU FTA 

Bahrain 

Bilateral 

Thailand-Bahrain FTA 

Peru 

Bilateral 

Thailand-Peru Closer Economic 

Partnership 

EFTA 

Bilateral 

Thailand-EFTA FTA 

BIMSTEC 

Regional 

The Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-

Sectoral Technical and Economic 

Cooperation 

 

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Does AFTA Create More Trade for Thailand? 

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Partner 

Scope 

Status 

FTA: trade in goods, 

agriculture, services, and 

investment, and NTBs for 

sensitive sectors 

Negotiations started in 2002; 

agreement in principle in May 2005; 

signed in November 2007 

Japan 

Goods, services, investment 

liberalization by 2012; 

facilitation; economic and 

technical cooperation 

Negotiations started in 2003 with 

agreement in 2007; commitment to 

conclude talks by 2008 

United 

States 

FTA: trade in goods, 

agriculture, services, and 

investment, IPRs, and NTBs 

Agreed to sign Trade and Investment 

Framework Agreement between the 

US and Thailand (TIFA) in 2002, 

started negotiations in 2004. The US 

asked Thailand to suspend the 

negotiations due to the political 

development in Thailand in 2006 

FTA: trade in goods, 

agriculture, services, and 

investment; rule of origin 

FTA negotiations began in May 

2002; agreement signed in November 

2005 

Australia 

Comprehensive for goods, 

services, and investment 

within ten years 

Agreement in November 2004 to 

establish an FTA. Latest round of 

negotiations was in April 2008 

New 

Zealand 

FTA: trade in goods, 

agriculture, services, and 

investment; rule of origin 

Started negotiations in May 2004; 

agreement signed in May 2006 

To enhance exports of 

goods that are part of the 

early-harvest scheme (82 

items), plus services and 

cooperation in the service 

sector (tourism, 

construction, health care, 

ICT) 

Initiated in October 2003, signed in 

September 2004; first focused on 82 

sensitive items, then expanded to 

3,000 items in September 2007. India 

has requested Thailand to suspend 

further negotiations and wait until 

the ASEAN-India FTA has been 

concluded 

India 

To enhance trade volume of 

goods on the sensitive list, 

special products, services 

investment, and petroleum 

Framework Agreement signed in 

October 2003.. Latest round of 

negotiations held in February 2008 

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Piriya Pholphirul

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