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January 30th, 2016 
Awake Goy 
Christof Lehmann (nsnbc) : Representatives of Thailand’s Chamber of Commerce, the Federation of Industries and the Department of Export Promotion discussed the possibilities for increased cooperation with the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) and the creation of a free trade zone. Thailand is balancing its policy between ASEAN, cooperation with China, and others. Cooperation with the EEU would be consistent with Bangkok’s aim to maintain political and economic sovereignty and flexibility.
The talks were held in Thailand’s capital Bangkok on January 29, during a visit of the Belarus Ambassador Extraordinary and Pleinipotentiary to Thailand and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Valery Sadokho. The Belarus State news agency BelTa notes that the meeting in Bangkok also was attended by a representative of the Belarus Minsk Automobile Plant (MAZ) in Southeast Asia.
The parties also agreed to hold the first Belarus – Thailand Business Forum in Bangkok. The forum shall aim at strengthening bilateral as well as Thai – EEU cooperation and trade.
The EEU was formally established on January 1, 2015, after years of preparations. The EEU represents a population of 183 million and covers over 20 million square kilometers, noted professor Alexander Mezyaev, Head of the Chair of the Academy of International Law and Governance, Kazan, Tatarstan.
Mezyaev added that the organization is the largest world gas (22% of global output) and oil (14, 6% of global output) producer, the second largest producer of mineral fertilizers (14% of world output), the third largest energy (9% of global output) producer and the fourth largest producer of steel (6% of global production) and coal (6% of global output).
Thailand has, for its part, also considerable gas resources. In early 2015, after the takeover of the military following months of protests and crisis, Thailand began wrestling about concessions with Exxon, Chevron, and British Petroleum (BP) and others. Concessions which were granted under the Shinawatra dominated regime that privatized large swaps of Thailand’s resources. Relations between Thailand and certain western countries, especially the United States and the United Kingdom have soured since early 2015.
Thailand aims at a balanced policy. The country has become part of ASEAN’s inner market. Thailand is, however, also committed to major infrastructure development with China. This development includes a railway line that will connect Thailand with China, Laos, and other neighboring countries.
In late 2014 Thailand launched a cross-border payment link between Thailand and Hong Kong. Also in late 2014, the Thai government held a seminary for representatives from Thai investment, trade and industry, encouraging them to investigate the new opportunities and possibilities related to openings in Chinese markets. A cooperation between Thailand and the EEU would be supplementing Thailand’s balanced position that aims at rendering the country less vulnerable to dynamics within individual markets as well as geopolitical machinations of trans-regional and global powers.
CH/L – nsnbc 30.01.2016
Source Article from http://nsnbc.me/2016/01/30/thai-commerce-and-industries-discuss-thailand-eeu-cooperation/
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