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June 2004 : Dispute on FTA
The Prime Minister’s visit to Australia for endorsement of Free Trade Agreement between the two countries on July 5 was strongly criticized from several parties on ground that Thai is not yet ready for globally competition and some overlapping of interest. Furthermore the government abandoned the plans to lottery raising-funds to buy Liverpool stake.
Field Marshall Thanom Kittikachorn, 10th Prime Minister died at age of 93. Saravuth Menasaweth, deputy secretariat of NCCC was chosen by the Senate to replace Klanarong Chantik.
Objections on Thai-Australia FTA
PM Thaksin Shinawatra and his cabinet members are visiting Canberra Australia on July 5 to sign agreement on Free Trade. The pact will be effective on January 1, 2005 is the first ever signs by Thailand and its principal is free trading on goods, services , investment and economic cooperation on mutual interest issues; e-commerce and intellectual property.
83 percent of Australia import tariff namely fresh fruits and vegetables, instant food, pulp and paper, automobile parts, small cars and pick-up vans will be reduced to zero and the rest will be reduced to zero by 2015 while Thai import tariff on 50 percent of Australian raw material goods namely ore, fuel and hide will be zero and the rest will be reduced between 2015 to 2020.
Some public sectors namely senator, academician and NGO are opposed to this free trade agreement on ground Thai agricultural sector would be adversely affected due to Thai farmers can not compete to the advanced Australian. Similarly, Thai- China FTA increased fruit and vegetable import by 201 percent while export is only 23 percent increase. Furthermore, there are criticism on the prime minister overlapping interest in telecommunication business.
Soccer lottery abandoned
The government abandoned plan to special lottery to raise funds to buy the stake of Liverpool Soccer Team and will find alternatives way.
Previously the cabinet approved the plan for Sports Authority of Thailand to coordinate in lottery fund-raising project to buy 30 percent stake in the English Premier League soccer club cost 4.6 billion baht. The policy were widely opposed by social peer namely Dr. Pravet Wasi and Chamlong Srimuang, advisor to the PM, reasoned that it is unconstitutional to article 87 and 212, immoral and promote crimes.
10th PM passed away
Former prime minister Thanom Kittikachorn died at 93 on July 17, 2004. He was the 10th prime minister and headed a military government when pro-democracy campaigners rose against his rule in October 1973.
The October 14 uprising forced him into exile abroad but returned home in 1976 in the novicehood triggering a student protest that ended with a bloody military crackdown on protesters on October 6, 1976.
New NCCC secretarial
The Senate on July 1 voted 149 to 13 with 9 abstained to choose Sarawut Menasaweth, deputy secretariat of National Counter Corruption Commission to replace Klanarong Chantik whose 6 years term terminated.
From : http://www.fpps.or.th
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