WT/TPR/M/400  
15 January 2021  
(21-0487) Page: 1/59 
Trade Policy Review Body   
24 and 26 November 2020  
  
TRADE POLICY REVIEW  
THAILAND  
MINUTES OF THE MEETING  
Chairperson: H.E. Mr Harald Aspelund (Iceland)  
CONTENTS  
 
1  INTRODUCTORY REMARKS BY THE CHAIRPERSON  ................................ ......................  2 
2  OPENING STATEMENT BY THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THAILAND  ................................ .. 4 
3  STATEMENT BY THE DISCUSSANT  ................................ ................................ ...............  8 
4  STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS  ................................ ................................ .......................  10 
5  REPLI ES BY THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THAILAND AND ADDITIONAL COMMENTS  ..... 52 
6  CONCLUDING REMARKS BY THE CHAIRPERSON  ................................ ........................  57 
7  ADOPTION OF TPRB'S ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2020  ................................ ....................  59 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Note: Advance written questions and additional questions by WTO Members, and the replies provided 
by Thailand  are reproduced in document WT/TPR/M/ 400/Add.1  and will be available online at 
http://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/tpr_e/tp_rep_e.htm.  WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  1  INTRODUCTORY REMARKS BY THE CHAIRPERSON  
1.1.  The eighth  Trade Policy Review of Thailand was held on 24 and 26 November 2020. The 
Chairperson, H.E.  Mr. Harald Aspelund (Iceland), welcomed the delegation of Thailand , headed by 
Mr. Rachavitch Piyapramote, Minister, Permanent Mission of Thailand to the WTO and WIPO 
(Bangkok Office), who participate d online from Bangkok; H.E. A mbassador Sunanta Kangvalkulkij, 
Permanent Representative of Thailand to the WTO ; and the discussant, H.E. Ambassador Silvia Elena 
Alfaro Espinosa (Peru) . 
1.2.  The Chairperson was pleased that, in addition to physical presence, the meeting also benefited 
from t he Interprefy online connection, allowing for a wider participation of the Membership, in 
particular of Thai officials who could not make the journey from Bangkok  given the current 
circumstances.  
1.3.  The Chairperson took this opportunity to remind Members tha t, as indicated in the addendum 
to the airgram for this meeting (WTO/AIR/TPR/98/Add.1, distributed on 15 October 2020), at the 
end of the second day, the TPRB would be invited to adopt its Annual Report for 2020.  
1.4.  The Chairperson recalled the purpose of TPR s, and the main elements of procedure for the 
meeting. The report by Thailand  was contained in document WT/TPR/G/ 400 and that of the WTO 
Secretariat in document WT/TPR/S/ 400. 
1.5.  Questions by the following delegations were submitted in writing before the deadl ine: Hong 
Kong, China; Peru; Israel; Australia; Norway; Canada; Chile; United States; China; United Kingdom; 
Korea, Republic of; European Union; Myanmar; Chinese Taipei; Singapore; Ukraine; Japan; India; 
Colombia; Brazil; and Turkey . The following delegati ons submitted written questions after the 
deadline: Switzerland; Russian Federation; Malaysia; New Zealand; Philippines; Ecuador; and 
Mexico . 
1.6.  At the time of its previous Review in 2015, Members had commended Thailand for its strong 
macro -economic fundament als and appropriate policy mix that had helped maintain financial stability 
and ensure the resilience of its outward -oriented economy. However, Members  had also encouraged 
Thailand to pursue structural reforms in areas such as taxation, competition policy,  state-owned 
enterprises and transparency, and removing existing FDI restrictions. Actions to improve transport 
infrastructure, focus on a digital economy, and move manufacturing capacity up the value chain had 
also been suggest ed in order to promote growt h. 
1.7.  The Chairperson focused  on developme nts since its previous Review. According to the 
Secretariat Report, after three years of solid growth, in 2019, the Thai economy entered a downturn 
due mainly to the global economic slowdown and international trade te nsions, leading to a 
contraction in exports, private investment and consumption. In addition, the economy cont inued  to 
face structural challenges, such as low levels of public and private investment, income and regional 
disparities, and the need to complet e fiscal reform and address labour market problems. In 2020, 
the COVID -19 pandemic exacerbated the problems facing the economy. To mitigate the economic 
effects of the pandemic, the Government implemented monetary and fiscal policy measures, through 
a three-stage  relief package worth 14% of GDP.  
1.8.  Regarding trade policies, Thailand improved its customs regime and adopted a new Customs 
Act during the review peri od. The tariff structure appeared  to remain relatively  complex, and 
Thailand maintained  a myriad of tax and non -tax investment incentive schemes. New legislati on on 
government procurement was enacted to increase transparency, but preferences were still given to 
certain domestic suppliers. Thailand also adopte d a new Trade Competition Act in 2017 , covering , 
for the first time , SOEs and other public entities. However , many products and services remain ed 
subject to price controls. Concerning intellectual property, the Trademark Act was amended to 
provide for the registration of sound marks, and the Copyright Act and the Computer Crime Act were 
amended to better address online IP infringement. However, concerns regarding certain enforcement 
issues remain . Agriculture received  more trade protection than the rest  of the economy  and, in 
service s, while regulatory regimes had  been modernized, caps on FDI are in place in several 
subsectors.  WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  1.9.  The Government Report highlights various economic plans , such as the 20 -Year National 
Strategy (2018 -37), the Twelfth National Econo mic an d Social Development Plan (2017 -21), 
Thailand 4.0, and the Seven -Year Invest ment Promotion Strategy (2015 -21). The Report also 
indicates that the Government set "10 Targeted Industries" to be promoted. Members wish ed to 
know more about these policies  through their discussions.  
1.10.   A quick survey of the advance questions  submitted for this Review showed  the wide range of 
topics of interest to Members regarding Thailand's trade and investment regimes, including its 
participation in regional trade agreements , its investment regi me, including foreign business  
licensing requirements, customs procedures and trade facilitation, its use of trade measures such as 
import licensing, standards and technical regulations, SPS measures, and the protection of 
intellectual  property rights.  
1.11.   In total, Thailand received 622  advance written questions from 29  delegations for this R eview, 
covering a broad range of topics. Of the 450 advance written questions submitted before the deadline 
of 20 October 2020, Thailand had responde d to the majority before noon  on 23 November 2020. 
However , there were several outstanding replies to advance questions submitted by Members within  
the established deadline, and the Chairperson  looked forward to hearing Thailand's updates on these 
issues.  
1.12.   This meeting was a good opportunity for Members to discuss in greater detail issues of interest 
to them and of systemic importance to the multilateral trading system. It was also an opportune 
moment f or Thailand to update the Membership on the impact of COVID -19 on its economy , and 
measures it had  taken in response. The Chairperson looked  forward to a fruitful exchange.  
1.13.   The Chairperson  closed his introductory remarks by wishing Thailand a very successf ul eighth 
Trade Policy Review.  
  WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  2  OPENING STATEMENT BY THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THAILAND (MR. RACHAVITCH 
PIYAPRAMOTE ) 
2.1.  Good morning excellenc ies and distinguished guests. On behalf of the Royal Thai Government, 
it is my great honour and pleasure to be here toda y. This is the 8th Trade Policy Review of Thailand 
and the first time for Thailand to have a virtual TPR m eeting. Please allow me to introduce the 
agencies, the Thai delegation in Ba ngkok today. We have around a dozen  line agencies with us in 
Bangkok , comprising representatives from the Department  of Trade Negotiations, the Department 
of Intellectual Property, the Department of International Trade Promotion, the Department of 
Internal Trade , and the Trade Policy and Strategy Office . We also hav e representatives from the 
Export -Import Bank of Thailand, the Office of Insurance Commission, the Customs Department, the 
Fiscal  Policy Office, the Board of Investment of Thailand, the National Bureau of Agriculture 
Commodity and Food Standards, and the D epartment of Livestock Development.  
2.2.  First and foremost, I would like to thank the WTO Secretariat for a thorough report of Thailand's 
trade policy and their hard work during unprecedented challenges of COVID -19 leading up to this 
meeting. I also would like  to thank our discussant, Ambassador Silvia Elena Alfaro Espinosa of Peru, 
for taking the time to participate in this meeting.  
2.3.  In this Trade Policy Review, Thailand has received more than 500 questions from 29 Members. 
We sincerely thank the Members for s howing their interest in Thailand 's trade policy. In this 
connection, our agencies have tried their best to respond to those questions in writing. So far, we 
have responded to 414 questions already. Please be assured that we will answer all of them as soon  
as we could.  
Economic Environment (2015 –2019)  
2.4.  During the past five years (2015 –2019), Thailand has experienced with several important 
changes. The passing of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej in 2016 was a great loss to all Thais. 
Since the passing of our beloved King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Thailand has been under the reign of His 
Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun. In 2017, Thailand adopted a new 
Constitution. And in 2019, we had a general election and a new G overnment  was formed .  
2.5.  Early in 2020, our world was hit by the novel COVID -19 pandemic. Thailand was the first 
country with a COVID -19 case outside of China and we have put our best efforts to control the 
spread of the virus. So far, Thailand has less than 4,000 cases and is the first country to review our 
health system and our success in COVID -19 management through an Intra Action Review, developed  
by World Health Organization .  
2.6.  Although we have successfully controlled the  spread of the  virus, our economy, like many other 
Members, has been hit hard by the pandemic. The National Economic and Social Development 
Council projected that the Thai economy will contract by 6% this year, mainly because of the drop 
of export and private consumption which accounts for 53% and 54% of Th ailand 's GDP respectively. 
Total investment i s also expected to decrease by 3.2%. In terms of job market, our unemployment 
rate is still comparatively low at 1.9%.  
2.7.  Next year Thai economy is expec ted to expand approximately 3.5% to 4.5%, driven by the 
increases of private consumption at 2.4%, government consumption at 4.7%, total investment at 
6.6%, and export at 4.2%.  
2.8.  To mitigate the adverse effect s of the pandemic, the Government has  launched 3 phase s of 
COVID -19 Relief Package comprising monetary and fiscal policies, to urgently help vulnerable people 
affected from the lockdown and business closure particularly informal workers, increase liquidity 
especially for SMEs, and stimu late domestic consumption. The G overnment has organised 
occupational training and community activities to improve skills of the recent graduates looking for 
jobs. The policies have satisfactory result as our economy has shown better performance in Q3/2020 
compare d to the previous qu arter. The G overnment continues its work to bring our economy back 
to normalcy as soon as possible.  
2.9.  In 2021, Thailand will focus on "Resilience ", emphasizing on strengthening the local economy 
and SMEs and to decrease the risks from overdependence on exter nal economy. Moreover, in order WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  to overcome the middle -income trap and achieve high -income status, Thailand plans to invest in the 
markets which have a potential to expand in a new normal scenario, especially in technology and 
innovation that adds high val ue to the new S -curve industries including robotics and automation, 
aviation and logistics, biofuels and biochemicals, digital, integrated medical service, future 
automotive, smart devices, quality tourism and health tourism, biotechnology, agriculture and  food 
processing which built upon Thailand 's traditional agricultural s ector. The G overnment also focuses 
on upskilling the country 's workforce, promoting research and development, and enhancing the 
digital transformation.  
Regional Trade Arrangements and E conomic Cooperation  
FTA 
2.10.   At present, Thailand has 13 regional and bilateral free trade agreements (FTAs) in effect with 
18 trading partners. Thailand is in the process of negotiating FTAs  with Pakistan, Turkey, and 
Sri Lanka. On 15 November 2020, Thailand a nd 14 countries ' Trade Ministers signed the Regional 
Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement and agreed to expedite ratification process 
for the early implementation of the agreement. The RCEP is the world 's largest free trade agreement, 
coveri ng 30.2% of world population, 30% of global GDP, and 27.4% of global trade. We are positive 
that the RC EP will enter into force soon.  
WTO 
2.11.   Thailand has always actively and constructively engaged in the multilateral trading system 
and regional economic coope ration. At multilateral level, Thailand constantly participates in 
discussions on key issues such as fisheries subsidies, agriculture and e -commerce including WTO 
reform. In April 2019, Thailand tabled a proposal on the dispute settlement system of the WTO  to 
facilitate discussions and resolve the Appellate Body Impass e which is  Thailand 's top priority . During 
2018 to 2019, Thailand 's Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the WTO and WIPO, 
Ambassador Sunanta Kangvalkulkij, had the honour of serving as the Chair of  the Dispute Settlement 
Body and General Council, undertaking a crucial role on supporting Members to advance WTO on -
going work and uphold the rules -based multilateral trading system.  
Regional Economic Cooperation  
2.12.   For regional econo mic cooperation, Thailand, as the ASEAN Chair in 2019, successfully 
delivered a number of key achievements under the theme of "Advancing Partnership for 
Sustainability ". The examples are future -orientation such as ASEAN Digital Integration Framework 
Action  Plan (or DIFAP) 2019 -2025, enhancing connectivity via the ASEAN Single Window, and 
promoting sustainability in all dimension such as sustainable fisheries and clean energy. The 
conclusion of the text-based negotiation on RCEP was a key success during Thai land's ASEAN 
Chairmanship.  
2.13.   In addition, Thailand has been an active member of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation 
(APEC). We have joined APEC economies on supporting  the multilateral trading system and WTO 
related -work such as e -commerce discussions and  promoting transparency and notification 
especially on TBT measures. Thailand also supports the final review of the Bogor Goals in 2020 and 
will continue to work closely with APEC economies to fulfil APEC's unfinished business.  
Thailand 's Successes During 2015 -2019  
Combat IUU Fishing  
2.14.   Since 2015, Thailand has taken significant steps to combat Illegal, Unreported and 
Unregulated Fishing (IUU Fishing) and was successfully delisted from the list of possible countries 
that do not cooperate under the IUU regulati on of the European Union in 2019 (yellow card). Thailand 
has created a system to tackle IUU fishing such as adopting  new legal framework s, improving fleet 
and fishery management, developing monitoring, control and surveillance system (MCS) which 
allows for  traceability in fishery products. These measures aim to create sustainability for the 
fisheries sector through ensuring sustainable fishery management and improving the quality of life 
of fishermen and farmers.  WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  Removal of Red Flag Status  
2.15.   For civil aviatio n, Thailand was listed as a "Red Flag " country by the International Civil Aviation 
Organization (ICAO) in 2015 . The G overnment worked hard to solve the problems and improved all 
operation. Finally, Thailand was removed from the red flag list in 2017.  
Promo tion of Competition  
2.16.   To create a free and fair competition and enhance transparency, Thailand has enacted a new 
Trade Competition Act in 2017 which regulates anti -competitive practices more effectively. Thailand 
has also established a new Office of Trade Competition Comm ission as an independent organiz ation 
to ensure its independence and transparency in enforcing competition policy.  
BCG Economy  
2.17.   Thailand places importance on environment al and sustainability issues. The G overnment has 
launched a polic y to promote Bio -Circular -Green or BCG Economy, which is driven by science, 
research, and innovation, to support Thai industries to achieve a balanced and sustainable growth 
and fulfil the United Nation's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Thailand beli eves that the BCG 
economy will move the Thai economy towards a resource efficie nt, sustainable, and 
innovation -driven economy.  
Intellectual Property Rights  
2.18.   Thailand has continued its effort to develop an effective and robust intellectual property 
regime. In 20 16, the National Committee on Intellectual Property Policy, which is chaired by the 
Prime Minister adopted a 20-Year (2016 -2036) IP Roadmap which covers six areas, namely: (1) IP 
creation; (2) IP protection; (3) IP commercialization; (4) IP enforcemen t; (5) geographical 
indications; and (6) genetic resources, traditional knowledge and traditional cultural expressions.  
2.19.   With respect to legislative development, Thailand has amended its Trademark Act and 
Copyright Act.  
2.20.   In terms of IP enforcement, Thailand  has continued to intensify its efforts in combatting IPR 
infringements in both physical and online marketplaces as well as other forms of infringements such 
as online piracy.  
2.21.   Thailand also recogniz es the importance of joining IP agreements to ensure that our IP system 
is in line with international standards. In 2016, Thailand deposited its instrument of acceptance for 
the 2005 Protocol Amending the TRIPS Agreement. In addition, Thailand deposited its instruments 
of accession to the Madrid Protocol in 2017 and to the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to 
Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired or Otherwise Print Disabled in 2019.  
Trade Facilitation and Ease of Doing Business  
2.22.   Thailand has ratified the WTO agreement on Trade Facilitation (TFA) in 2015 and has 
implemented 97.1% of its commitment in June 2020. Several measures were taken by responsible 
authorities to comply with the TFA. In order to guarantee effective implementat ion of the TFA, 
Thailand has established a National Committee on Trade Facilitation (NCTF) to oversee and 
coordinate with relevant agencies. Thailand has adopted action plans to improve the effectiveness 
of pre -arrival process such as e -Bill payment and e -Tracking systems.  
2.23.   Thailand also adopted several measures to enhance the ease of doing business for foreign 
investors. The Department of Business and Development (DBD) regularly reviews  the list of 
exempted businesses from the foreign business license requ irement in order to facilitate business 
operations and promote trade and investment in Thailand. The DBD has also launched the 
e-Registration System and single -service platform to facilitate business registration and reduce the 
cost of business operation. Thailand is ranked 21st out of 190 countries by the World Bank in its 
Doing Business 2020  publication . WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  2.24.   To this end, let me assure that the Royal Thai Government has been working diligently and 
will put its best efforts to drive economic recovery after COVI D-19 under the key principle of 
transparency , as well as to strengthen competitiveness and resilience of the country.  
2.25.   Thailand welcomes the valuable engagement and comments by Members , and we are looking 
forward to the productive exchanges during this two -day meeting. Thank you for the floor.  
  WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  3  STATEMENT BY THE DISCUSSANT  
3.1.  Thank you Chair and good morning to those of you in Geneva and good afternoon to those in 
Bangkok.  
3.2.  I would like to begin by welcoming the Thai delegation, headed by His Excellency, 
Mr Rachavitch Piyapramote, Minister of the Permanent Mission of Thailand to the WTO and WIPO in 
Bangkok, who is leading the delegation, and to extend special greetings to my distinguished 
colleague and friend, Ambassador Sunanta Kangvalkulkij. I would also like to thank you, Chair, for 
the opportunity and the honour of serving as discussant.  
3.3.  I would first like to express my sincere condolences on the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej 
in 2016,  and to wish His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun a long and 
prosperous reign.  
3.4.  Before proceeding, I would like to commend the willingness of the Government of Thailand to 
accept alternative timelines for the consideration of Member s' questions for this Review, which will 
facilitate constructive dialogue at this meeting. Similarly, I would like to commend Thailand's 
decision to proceed with this review despite the severe health and economic conditions that the 
world is currently faci ng, proof of its commitment to the proper functioning of this Organization's 
trade policy review mechanism.   
3.5.  As is customary in this body, we have before us two very comprehensive reports that serve as 
the basis for this review, and many questions that ref lect the Members' great interest in the economic 
and trade policies of Thailand. Needless to say, the entire membership's interest is the result not 
only of Thailand's rich culture and famous geographical beauty —which undoubtedly play an 
important role in  its trade in tourism services — but also of the important role played by Thailand in 
the world economy and trade, as I will outline now.   
3.6.  Thailand remains one of the 20 economies most involved in international trade in the world. 
This is exemplified by the  fact that, in 2019, the value of trade in goods between Thailand and the 
rest of the world totalled over USD 470 billion. Its trade links appear to be fairly diversified: while 
Asia is the main destination for Thailand's exports and the main source of its  imports, as is to be 
expected given its location, it nevertheless has important trade relations with the United States, the 
European Union, Latin America, Oceania and other regions of the world, and is emerging as a player 
in global trade. I also believe that the interest in Thailand has been sparked by its participation in 
the Association of South -East Asian Nations (ASEAN), an international organization that enjoys 
worldwide recognition for its innovative and determined international economic cooperation  efforts. 
In addition, Thailand has sought to avail itself of other agreements and forums that promote 
preferential economic and commercial integration, such as the recently signed Regional 
Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), news of which has rever berated around the world, or 
Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). This shows Thailand's interest in continuing to actively 
deepen its trade links and improving its economic and trade competitiveness in general. In the area 
of investment, it is a major  recipient, but at the same time it has become a source of foreign direct 
investment, particularly for ASEAN member countries, demonstrating the value of its impact in terms 
of economic integration. In short, Thailand is a major player in international tra de, both regionally 
and extra -regionally, and as the reports prepared for this review point out, it is very active in the 
multilateral trading system, which demonstrates in a practical manner the high esteem in which 
Thailand holds this Organization.   
3.7.  When  preparing my comments as discussant I was guided by the outcome of Thailand's 
previous Trade Policy Review, which took place in 2015. In that year, for example, Thailand's sound 
macroeconomic policy was recognized. It appears that Thailand has continued t o follow this path 
during the period under review, rapidly implementing countercyclical measures to address both the 
slight slowdown in growth in 2019 and the much more severe economic depression that occurred as 
a result of the COVID -19 pandemic this year . Recourse to countercyclical measures was made 
possible by the strong fiscal position of the Thai government. In this regard, I am sure that measures 
to bolster the economy in the context of the pandemic are a matter of interest to Members and it 
has alre ady been interesting to hear the comments that have been made and about the preliminary 
results achieved by Thailand, as well as those expected in the future.  WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  3.8.  During its last review, some delegations pointed out that Thailand might be falling into the 
middle-income trap, and therefore encouraged it to undertake structural reforms. According to 
Thailand's report, it is clear that the Government has been working hard on this issue, drawing up 
a comprehensive strategy to become a high -income economy by 2036, a strategy imbued with a 
vision of the country's development not only with regard to economic matters, but also in the social 
and environmental fields, setting specific objectives in these areas.   
3.9.  Furthermore, in 2015, Thailand was invited to improve its p roduction capacity for goods with a 
high technological content, as a tool that could help it avoid the middle -income trap. This element 
has also been taken up by the current economic strategy, geared towards industrial development in 
digital technology, av iation, logistics, robotics, among others. It would be interesting to know more 
about the measures Thailand plans to implement to develop these industries.  
3.10.   Similarly, Thailand has taken action to respond to requests from the membership to reduce 
barriers to investment. Central to this response has been the ease of doing business, the reduction 
of licensing requirements for starting businesses in certain sectors and the implementation of 
investment e -registration systems, among other measures described in t he report of the Member 
under review.  
3.11.   Thailand has also continued to pursue its trade facilitation efforts, either at the national level 
or in conjunction with ASEAN countries. For example, there have been developments in the single 
window policy to reduc e costs and simplify procedures using electronic tools. These and other 
aspects of trade facilitation may well merit comments from the delegations present here.  
3.12.   Conversely, the complex structure and level of tariffs have largely been maintained or even 
increased with respect to 2015, and their eventual simplification or liberalization remains a subject 
of interest among the Members of this Organization, according to the questions submitted for this 
review. Meanwhile, the Secretariat's report suggests that an eventual tariff reform could be an 
element that would help the competitiveness of the Thai economy, and it would be interesting to 
know the opinion of the Member under review on this matter.  
3.13.   I also noted that export duties are levied on certain product s, duties which are not necessarily 
applied in practice in most cases according to the Secretariat's report. It is only natural that these 
duties should create uncertainty and it would be useful to know the reasons behind and scope of 
this special applicat ion, as well as how these measures are expected to be used in future.  
3.14.   In the area of trade defence measures, some safeguards have continued to be used in the 
period under review, and a new investigation is underway. It would be interesting to know in more  
detail the rationale behind the application of these measures.  
3.15.   Furthermore, as in 2015, Members have continued to submit questions to Thailand regarding 
technical, sanitary and phytosanitary standards for exports to Thailand. The report prepared by the 
WTO Secretariat notes that only 37.4% of national technical standards are identical or similar to 
international standards and it seems to me that it might be relevant to know Thailand's overall 
approach to this aspect of its policies.   
3.16.   Before I conclude, I would like to say that I have been very impressed by Thailand's approach 
to preparing its report for this review, a report which in my view reflects the fact that Thailand has 
addressed a number of the issues raised by the membership of this body five year s ago, as can be 
seen from recent developments in its economic and trade policies. Likewise, as this was the first 
time I have served as discussant, I have had the opportunity to learn about the complexity and 
depth of the preparatory work and exchanges fo r this meeting, so I am sure that the ensuing 
dialogue will lead us to the culmination of an excellent exercise to increase knowledge and 
understanding of Thailand's trade policies, for the benefit of all participants. Lastly, I am confident 
that the deleg ation of Thailand will be receptive to the comments of the delegations gathered here 
so that in a few years' time we will be able to see specific developments in Thailand's trade policy in 
this WTO body, thanks to the dialogue at this meeting. Thank you ve ry much.  
  WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  4  STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS  
HONG  KONG,  CHINA  
4.1.  I would like to extend a warm welcome to Thailand 's delegation led by Mr Piyapramote. I would 
also like to thank the discussant, Ambassador Silvia Elena Alfaro Espinosa of Peru for sharing with 
us her insights, and the Secretariat for their comprehensive report.  
4.2.  Hong Kong, China (HKC) and Thailand have l ong been enjoying fruitful bilateral trade and 
economic relations. We always treasure Thailand as a valuable trading partner and the development 
of two -way trade between us has been encouraging. In 2019, Thailand was HKC 's 10th largest 
trading partner in m erchandise trade, and Thailand ranked the 4th among the ten ASEAN Member 
States in terms of trade in goods with HKC. In services trade, Thailand was our 10th largest trading 
partner in 2018.  
4.3.  Since the entry into force of the ASEAN -HKC Free Trade Agreement and the related Investment 
Agreement in June 2019, HKC has been working closely with Thailand and other ASEAN Member 
States to ensure smooth implementation of the two Agreements. We look forward to further 
strengthening our economic ties with Thailand by f acilitating flow of goods, services and investment 
under the two Agreements.  
4.4.  Now I would like to turn to our observations on some specific areas in Thailand 's trade policies.  
4.5.  We appreciate Thailand 's active engagement in the WTO work and good record of not ifications 
to the WTO.  
4.6.  On trade facilitation, we commend Thailand 's continued efforts in simplifying and modernizing 
its customs procedures in response to a rapidly changing economic and technological environment 
to facilitate trade. Thailand has adopted a new Customs Act in November 2017 to modernize its 
customs laws and introduced several action plans to improve customs processes that allow for 
electronic submission of customs registrations, declarations and documents.  
4.7.  Thailand has maintained an Authoriz ed Economic Operator Programme and has signed Mutual 
Recognition Arrangements on this Programme with other Members, including one with HKC since 
June 2015. We are pleased to note that Thailand has implemented more than 97% of its 
commitments and has fulfil led its obligations in submitting transparency notifications required under 
the Agreement on Trade Facilitation.  
4.8.  On tariffs, while Thailand has lowered the applied MFN tariffs on agricultural products from 
34.7% in 2014 to 32.7% in 2020, it is still substa ntially higher than that of non -agricultural products 
at 11.8%. Thailand also applies import surcharges on certain agricultural products (such as soya 
bean cake and maize for feedstuff). The agricultural sector continues to be relatively protected and 
we w ould encourage Thailand to further liberalize its agricultural sector by reviewing its existing 
market access measures.  
4.9.  We are glad to note that Thailand has submitted updated notifications on export subsidies and 
market access, and that it did not provide  any export subsidies during the review period. Thailand 
did not invoke any special safeguard even though it has reserved the right to do so for 55 tariff line 
items. Nevertheless, Thailand 's last notification on domestic support to the WTO covers only up to 
calendar year 2016. We would encourage Thailand to submit the outstanding notifications on 
domestic support to facilitate a more up -to-date and effective review on its implementation of 
commitments by Members.  
4.10.   Services continue to be the main contributo r of Thailand 's economy and account for a 
significant share of Thailand 's GDP and employment. We appreciate Thailand 's effort in reducing 
market entry restrictions and equity limitations for various sectors during the review period, and 
would encourage Tha iland to consider further liberalizing its trade regime so as to tie in with its 
national polices and development plans to attract foreign investments and strengthen international 
cooperation.  WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  4.11.   HKC looks forward to further fostering the bilateral trade and economic relations with 
Thailand. We thank Thailand for its replies to part of our written questions and would look forward 
to receiving replies to the remaining questions. I wish Thailand a successful trade policy review.  
PERU 
4.12.   The Peruvian delegation pres ents its compliments to all those present, and extends a warm 
welcome to the delegation of Thailand, in particular to Mr. Rachavitch Piyapramote, Minister of the 
Permanent Mission of Thailand to the WTO and WIPO in Bangkok, who is leading the delegation, a nd 
to Ambassador Sunanta Kangvalkulkik.  
4.13.   We would also like to express our appreciation for your commitment to the work of this Body, 
Chair, as well as the work undertaken by the Secretariat for this Review.   
4.14.   First, Peru would like to convey its condolences  for the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej in 
2016. Peru shares the grief of the Thai people and wishes King Maha Vajiralongkorn 
Bodindradebayavarangkun a long life and prosperity.  
4.15.   Next, my delegation would like to acknowledge the important steps taken by T hailand in the 
period under review, in terms of macroeconomic soundness, attracting foreign investment, trade 
facilitation, regional trade integration, among other issues. In this last area, it is worth noting the 
recent signing of the RCEP, which will pro mote greater trade flows in one of the world's fastest 
growing and most promising regions. Similarly, Peru notes Thailand's work in the area of planning, 
as evidenced in Thailand's report for this review, which seeks to enhance industry diversity, 
producti vity and innovation, with a view to becoming a high -income economy by 2036.  
4.16.   Peru welcomes Thailand's considerable commitment to the work of this Organization, including 
its participation in the negotiations on fishing, e -commerce and agriculture subsidies , and, recently, 
in the negotiations on services domestic regulation. Peru also wishes to express its thanks to 
Ambassador Kangvalkulkij for her genuine commitment as Chair of the Dispute Settlement Body in 
2018 and, subsequently, of the General Council in  2019, at a particularly complex moment in the 
history of this Organization.  
4.17.   Within the framework of a bilateral strategic partnership, Peru and Thailand are preferential 
trading partners, following the entry into force in 2011 of the Protocol between the  Republic of Peru 
and the Kingdom of Thailand for Accelerating the Liberalization of Trade in Goods and Trade 
Facilitation. Under this instrument and its complementary protocols, we have managed to liberalize 
75% of the tariff schedule. Within this framewo rk, bilateral trade currently stands at around 
USD 600 million per year, with great potential to be exploited in the future.  
4.18.   At the same time, Peru and Thailand are cooperating within the framework of APEC, a forum 
in which important initiatives have been  carried out over the course of this year to facilitate the flow 
of goods in the context of the ongoing pandemic, coordinate positions in relation to the WTO, and 
develop a broad agenda that covers the digital economy, energy efficiency, waste management a nd 
the economic empowerment of women, among other issues. Likewise, the Economic Leaders' 
Meeting, held last week, has confirmed the central role of APEC as a forum for the co -ordination of 
policies and future projects that will effectively consolidate the  Asia-Pacific region as an open, 
dynamic, resilient and peaceful community.   
4.19.   With regard to the questions submitted by Peru as part of this review, my delegation thanks 
Thailand for the replies provided, which have allowed us to learn about the policies of  the Member 
under review that promote the economic empowerment of women, especially through trade.   
4.20.   Having said this, I wish to conclude this statement by wishing Thailand a successful Trade 
Policy Review.  
AUSTRALIA  
4.21.   At the outset, I want to express our tha nks to both our Thai colleagues and also Her Excellency 
Ambassador of Peru, serving as the discussant. Having done the first of these virtual trade policy WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  reviews - we were forced into that circumstance in March this year - we are very sympathetic with 
Thailand having to do the same.  
4.22.   We wish to congratulate Thailand on its larger approach to the containment of COVID -19. The 
recovery from COVID -19 will be long, and the economic impact has been disproportionately felt by 
Thailand 's rural and lower income comm unities. It is important that we work together to support our 
respective COVID -19 economic recoveries, including with respect to supply chain resilience and 
vaccine development.  
4.23.   Australia and Thailand have a long history of friendship and cooperation, and we are pleased 
to elevate relations to the level of a Strategic Partnership, as was announced earlier this month. We 
both have a strong commitment to economic cooperation through forums such as the WTO, the East 
Asia Summit, APEC and the Regional Comprehen sive Economic Partnership which we both recently 
signed.  
4.24.   We have a strong trade and economic relationship with Thailand, and it has grown significantly 
since the entry into force of the Thailand -Australia Free Trade Agreement, or TAFTA, in 2005. In 
2019, Thailand was Australia's fifth highest goods import source , our 10th largest goods and services 
trading partner, and our third -largest trading partner in ASEAN.  
4.25.   Australia is strongly committed to working with Thailand to boost bilateral trade and 
investment under our new Strategic Partnership.  
4.26.   Trade and investm ent liberalization, together with a pro -business regulatory environment, 
have and will continue to play a key role in ensuring sustained growth in Thailand. We encourage 
Thailand to continue its economic and trade policy reform, which will pave the way for  greater 
productivity gains, increased competitiveness and further economic integration.  
4.27.   Thailand has, of course, achieved significant efficiencies during COVID -19 that have made 
doing business easier, particularly on issues like e -documentation and e -comm erce. We encourage 
Thailand to keep these efficiencies in place and expand them further, where possible.  
4.28.   Australia welcomes Thailand 's relatively liberal foreign investment regime in manufacturing, 
which has resulted in significant levels of foreign invest ment. Easing limitations for foreign firms on 
land ownership and on retaining majority shareholdings would promote investment further and 
stimulate Thailand's economy.  
4.29.   There are complex regulatory frameworks governing the services sector, including foreign  
ownership restrictions. Australia has strong interests in expanding business links in the Thai services 
sector, including in financial services, telecommunications, transport and logistics, education, 
professional services, construction, services incident al to mining, environmental services and 
business mobility. We encourage Thailand to continue undertaking reforms that are necessary to 
increase competition, productivity and innovation in key services sectors.  
4.30.   Australia welcomes Thailand 's announcement e arlier this month that it will join the Services 
Domestic Regulation Joint Statement Initiative. Australia looks forward to working closely with 
Thailand to see these negotiations through to a successful conclusion and hopes that Thailand 's 
participation w ill demonstrate the value of the Initiative to non -participating Members, including 
other ASEAN Members.   
4.31.   We also want to acknowledge that agricultural trade has been liberalized through the 
implementation of tariff reductions agreed under TAFTA and the AS EAN-Australia -New Zealand Free 
Trade Agreement (AANZFTA). Regular meetings of the SPS Expert Group on SPS Measures and Food 
Standards established under TAFTA have fostered dialogue and cooperation between the Thai and 
the Australian government regulatory a gencies to deliver positive outcomes for agricultural trade.  
4.32.   As one of the world's leading exporters of agricultural products, particularly of rice and rubber, 
Thailand has much to gain from policies that promote a stable, predictable and market -based 
agricultural trading system, and constantly improve innovation and efficiency in the sector. Australia 
appreciates Thailand's efforts to progress agricultural reform at the WTO as a key member of the 
Cairns Group alongside Australia. Thailand's globally compet itive agriculture sector has benefitted WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  greatly from the open global trading system. Nevertheless, there are a number of protections 
remaining in the Thai agriculture. To enhance Thailand's efficiency and success in this sector and to 
demonstrate Thailand' s commitment to free and open trade and investment in agriculture, we urge 
Thailand to commit to further reforms in this sector and to eliminate protective measures that do 
not align with the WTO Agreement on Agriculture 's long -term objective of progressiv e reductions in 
support and protection.  
4.33.   We acknowledge Thailand 's commitment to achieving balanced and sustainable management 
of agriculture resources and the environment, including adaptation to climate change to ensure a 
viable agriculture sector into th e future.  
4.34.   We also welcome Thailand 's active participation in the WTO fisheries subsidies negotiations, 
particularly as a significant producer through marine capture fishing. Thailand has much to contribute 
in these negotiations to help us find a strong out come.  
4.35.   Australia welcomes Thailand 's active engagement in the WTO and its clear support for the role 
of the Organization in promoting trade, trade liberalization and inclusive economic development. 
Thailand 's commitment is demonstrated by its membership of the WTO ‘Friends of the System ' 
group. In the period covered by this review, Thailand has ratified the Trade Facilitation Agreement 
and is well on the way to implementing all of its commitments. It has also implemented its ITA2 
commitments. T hailand, of course, is actively engaged in the E -commerce JSI. As a fellow Cairns 
Group member, we particularly welcome Thailand 's support in developing a Framework for 
Negotiations in Domestic Support in agriculture and active outreach, particularly with other ASEAN 
Members.   
4.36.   We want to emphasize the active and excellent working relationship with Thailand. We want 
to encourage Thailand to continue its good work with its COVID -19 recovery and want to thank 
Thailand for the many wonderful responses to the qu estions. We will review these responses very 
carefully in the days and weeks to come.  
NORWAY  
4.37.   Let me join others in welcoming the delegation from Thailand to this review of Thailand 's trade 
policy and thank the Secretariat and the Government of Thailand for  their reports.  
4.38.   Norway and Thailand have excellent bilateral and economic relations that we highly 
appreciate. Norway has substantial interests as an investor in several industries in Thailand, 
including in telecommunications. Thailand is also a significa nt export market for Norwegian seafood, 
fertilisers and other products.  
4.39.   Let me start by congratulating Thailand for having adopted a national action plan on Business 
and Human Rights. This underscores the good intentions of Thailand 's authorities to combat  
corruption and strengthen labour rights.  
4.40.   I would also like to congratulate Thailand for having improved its ranking on the "Ease of 
doing business " index in recent years. This is positive for economic growth, for trade and for 
attracting foreign direct in vestments. This does not, however, mean that there are no room for 
improvements.  
4.41.   Norwegian investors in Thailand are pointing out that Thailand 's Foreign Business Act is still 
restrictive, especially as regards the number of professions reserved for Thai nationals, as well as 
the number of industries deemed not yet ready to compete with foreigners. While some constraints 
for inter -company activities have been eased lately, these changes are minor in real terms and do 
not in our view address the situation f or the majority of foreign businesses.  
4.42.   In order for a company to be able to operate as a 100% owned foreign entity in restricted 
fields, a Foreign Business Licence is required. Unless the investment involves setting up 
manufacturing plants mainly for expo rt, often granted through Thailand 's Board of Investment, 
applying for a foreign business licence can be a bureaucratic and lengthy process.  WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  4.43.   Applying for visas and work permits for foreign staff is seen as a laborious process. For a 
foreign company to be allowed to operate in Thailand, strict requirements need to be fulfilled as to 
the ratios between local staff and foreigners. We would encourage Thailand to move towards a less 
restrictive approach with no restrictions on foreign ownership.  
4.44.   International shipping is very important to Norway, and maritime transport is an important 
facilitator of world trade. Four -fifths of world trade by volume is carried by sea. The challenges 
related to the Covid -19 pandemic accentuate the importance of open and efficient  global supply 
chains. Commitments in maritime transport contribute to stable and predictable terms and 
conditions for the service providers and their customers, in addition to the economic benefits for the 
society as a whole. It is therefore essential tha t more member states join us in taking commitments 
in maritime transport services.  
4.45.   We therefore appreciate that Thailand - like Norway - has undertaken bound commitments 
for international maritime transport services in the schedule under the GATS agreement , and for 
core transport services that is delivery mode 1 - cross border supply.  
4.46.   On this background we have noted information in the Secretariat 's report, in paragraph 4.193, 
regarding the existence of restrictions on maritime transportation of government cargoes imported 
to Thailand, and question whether such restrictions are in conformity with Thailand 's GATS 
commitments. This issue has been addressed in our written questions, and we are eagerly looking 
forward to receiving a response to our questions.  
4.47.   Let me conclude by commending the delegation of Thailand to the WTO in Geneva for their 
active and constructive engagement in support of a rules -based multilateral trading regime, under 
the able leadership of my good colleague and friend Ambassador Sunanta.   
4.48.   I wish the delegation of Thailand a successful TPR.  
CANADA  
4.49.   We welcome this opportunity to participate in the 8th Trade Policy Review of Thailand.  
4.50.   First, we would like to acknowledge Thailand 's commitment to rules -based trade, particularly 
at this time when global collaboration is necessary to address economic challenges and prepare for 
post-pandemic recovery. Furthermore, we acknowledge Thailand 's support for the WTO Working 
Group on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) statement highlightin g the importance of 
MSMEs in COVID -19 recovery and the Statement on COVID -19 by APEC Ministers Responsible for 
Trade.  
4.51.   We commend Thailand 's continuing improvements on its intellectual property system. 
Predictable, transparent, and robust intellectual prope rty systems are key to economic development 
and support growth in innovative industries. We also congratulate Thailand for its recent accession 
to the World Intellectual Property Organization 's Madrid Agreement Concerning the International 
Registration of Marks in 2017 and to the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works 
for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired or Otherwise Print Disabled in 2019. We also support 
Thailand 's continuing efforts to accede to other WIPO instruments, which com plement and support 
predictable and transparent IP administration and by extension rules -based trade.   
4.52.   We appreciate Thailand 's ongoing efforts to advance a possible Canada -ASEAN FTA. During 
Thailand 's ASEAN Chairmanship in 2019, Canada and ASEAN announced  the successful conclusion 
of FTA exploratory discussions. We look forward to continuing to engage with Thailand on this 
important initiative and to working with Thailand to promote the open, rules -based trading system.  
4.53.   This review period also saw Thailand  serve as the 2019 ASEAN Chair. We are grateful for the 
leadership taken by Thailand in advancing its various sustainability goals for the region and for its 
support to Dialogue Partners.  
4.54.   As Thailand strives to improve different aspects of its economic and  market environment, 
there are four areas on which it may wish to focus.  WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  4.55.   Firstly, while we are aware of Thailand 's efforts to address pervasive corruption, including 
through the enactment of the 2017 Public Procurement and Supplies Administration Act, eff orts to 
tackle the problem are still necessary as the Kingdom continues to fare poorly on international 
corruption indexes. We encourage Thailand to continue pursuing concrete measures to address 
corruption with a view to improving confidence for those see king to do business in the country, 
especially in the context of its Thailand 4.0 policy and the development of the Eastern Economic 
Corridor (EEC).  
4.56.   Secondly, on government procurement, we recognize that Thailand is an observer to the WTO 
Government Procur ement Committee and has included provisions on cooperation and information 
sharing in some of its FTAs. Going forward, we would encourage Thailand to consider expanding 
these obligations to also cover market access commitments.   
4.57.   Thirdly, on financial servi ces, we acknowledge Thailand 's effort to remove foreign banks, and 
life and non -life insurance businesses from the list of restricted activities. We also recognize 
Thailand 's ongoing liberalization of its banking sector through bilateral negotiations with ASEAN 
members. We would appreciate clarification of the application and specifications of Thailand 's 
liberalization efforts in order to better understand the scope of these reforms.  
4.58.   Fourthly, Thailand 's WTO notifications record is very good. In doing so, Thailand is supporting 
the WTO 's monitoring function and the ability of other Members to understand its policy actions. One 
area where we encourage Thailand to do further work is in regard to notifying its agriculture domestic 
support for the years 2009 to  2013. Canada and Thailand share the common objective of undertaking 
reforms to global agriculture trade as Members of the Cairns Group and as illustrated by their 
co-sponsorship of the Framework on Domestic Support agreed by Cairns Groups Ministers in 
January 2020.  
4.59.   We would like to thank Thailand for its inclusion of MSME -related information in its 
Government report. The voluntary provision of this information is an important contribution that 
supports analysis and discussion of MSME -related issues in WTO Councils and Committee. Building 
on its constructive participation in the Joint Statement Initiatives (JSI) on e -commerce and on 
services domestic regulation, we also encourage Thailand to participate in the JSI on investment 
facilitation, as well as suppo rt the Joint Declaration on Trade and Women 's Economic Empowerment.  
4.60.   We have submitted written questions that reflect some of the concerns raised today. We look 
forward to Thailand 's responses, and to a constructive exchange of views on all aspects of Thailand 's 
trade policy.  
CHILE  
4.61.   We extend warm greetings to the large Thai delegation, led by the Minister of Trade, 
Mr. Rachavitch Piyapramote, whom we welcome to the WTO.  
4.62.   We note and appreciate the work being done by the Permanent Representative of 
Thaila nd to the WTO, Ambassador Sunanta Kangvalkulkij, and her Alternate Permanent 
Representative, Chakarin Komolsiri, and the members of the active Thai delegation to the WTO. We 
also thank Silvia Alfaro, the Ambassador of Peru, for her detailed report which il lustrates quite well 
the trade reality in Thailand. We also thank the Thai authorities for the replies to the questions 
submitted by Chile.  
4.63.   The relationship between Chile and Thailand is longstanding. The link between the two 
countries has been one of gro wing collaboration and understanding, born of similar public policies 
and a shared vision of the benefits of free trade. We are both members of the Asia -Pacific economic 
forum, APEC.   
4.64.   In 2019, Thailand was the main destination for Chilean exports to the en tire ASEAN bloc.  
4.65.   I would like to draw attention to the Free Trade Agreement between Chile and Thailand, which 
came into force on 5 November 2015 and covers preferential trade in goods and services. The 
Agreement granted immediate preferential access to mo re than 90% of products, without any 
exceptions.  WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  4.66.   The third meeting of the Administrative Commission of the FTA was held in Bangkok in June 
2019. The Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures and the Committee on Goods, Rules 
of Origin and Customs P rocedures met on that occasion.   
4.67.   During 2019, trade amounted to USD 1,075 million, down 24% compared to 2018. Total 
exports were USD 381 million, a contraction of 8.9% compared to the same period in 2018. Imports 
totalled USD 694 million.  
4.68.   Between January a nd August 2020, bilateral trade was USD 598 million, down 17% on the 
same period in 2019.  
4.69.   During the first 8 months of 2020, Chilean exports reached USD 233 million, which 
represents  a decrease of 1.8% compared to the same period in 2019. Mining exports as  a whole, 
valued at USD 112 million, account for most of Chile's shipments. With regard to imports (CIF), an 
amount equivalent to USD 365 million was recorded between January and August 2020. There is no 
doubt that the negative effects of the pandemic on w orld trade are also reflected in our bilateral 
trade relationship.  
4.70.   Meanwhile, Chilean investment in Thailand is valued at more than USD 190 million, mainly in 
the service sector, especially in the marketing of agro -industrial products, and in the industri al 
sector, particularly in chemicals and metalworking.  
4.71.   As I mentioned, the third meeting of the Free Trade Commission of the FTA was held in 
Bangkok, Thailand, on 20 and 21 June 2019. The details of the Code of Conduct for Dispute 
Settlement Procedures we re agreed upon at the meeting, with the Code to be adopted through the 
exchange of diplomatic notes. We hope that Thailand will be able to make progress on this matter 
as well.   
4.72.   It was agreed to transpose the specific rules of origin from HS 2012 to HS 201 7. On 
17 December 2019, Chile sent a draft diplomatic note and we also hope that Thailand can move 
forward on this matter.  
4.73.   Chile hopes to make progress on licensing for the agricultural sector, especially for shipments 
of pears. At the third meeting of th e Free Trade Commission, Thailand reported that the relevant 
analysis had not yet been completed and no date has been given as to when it might be made 
available.  
4.74.   Some certificates for trade in sheep by -products and salted sheepskins are also pending. It is 
also important to know the requirements for the export of bovine plasma and haemoglobin.   
4.75.   Meanwhile, the Chilean authorities, together with the Thailand International Cooperation 
Agency (TICA) and the Mekong Institute, are organizing a train ing workshop for ASEAN government 
officials on international trade negotiations. The parties have agreed to hold the workshop during 
the first quarter of 2021.  
4.76.   In addition, in June 2020, Mr. Kanit Si was appointed as Chair of the Thai -Chilean Business 
Council for the period from 1 May 2020 to 30 April 2022. In 2020, it will be 6 years since the creation 
of this Council, which has more than 33 members and has helped to generate a growing 
understanding and mutual cooperation between both countries, in suppor t of the necessary 
strengthening of economic, trade and business relations between Chile and Thailand.  
4.77.   We reiterate our thanks to Thailand for the efforts made to improve and deepen our bilateral 
relationship, especially in the area of trade.  
4.78.   We have much  work to do together for the mutual benefit of our peoples.  
UNITED  STATES  
4.79.   We welcome Thailand 's delegation led by Minister Piyapramote, and we appreciate the reports 
prepared by the WTO Secretariat and the Government of Thailand for Thailand 's eighth Trade  Policy 
Review (TPR).  WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  4.80.   Thailand is an important economic partner of the United States, and we have a long trade 
relationship dating back to the 1833 U.S. -Thailand Treaty of Amity and Commerce. In 2019, U.S. 
goods and services two -way trade with Thailand tot alled an estimated USD 52.7 billion. The United 
States continues to work closely with Thailand through our Trade and Investment Framework 
Agreement (TIFA) to enhance our bilateral trade relationship and address priority issues.  
4.81.   The United States commends T hailand for maintaining macro -financial stability and solid 
economic growth since its last TPR, though we take note of Thailand 's recent economic slowdown in 
2020, which has been aggravated by the impact of the COVID -19 pandemic. The United States 
supports  the Royal Thai Government 's active engagement in WTO negotiations and notifications to 
the WTO, as well as its efforts to enact new and amended domestic trade -related legislation and 
regulations.  
4.82.   Thailand is a significant player in global trade and is wel l-integrated into the trading system. 
In 2019, it accounted for nearly 1.3% of global merchandise trade. In part for this reason, we call 
on Thailand to no longer seek special and differential treatment in current and future WTO 
negotiations. By taking thi s step, Thailand would make a significant contribution to ensuring that the 
WTO remains a viable forum for meaningful trade negotiations.  
4.83.   As was the case during Thailand 's previous Trade Policy Reviews, we remain interested in 
Thailand 's plans for further  customs reforms. The United States welcomes Thailand 's efforts to 
implement the Trade Facilitation Agreement and appreciate the updates from the Royal Thai 
Government that it has implemented 97% of its provisions. We also recognize the efforts by Thailand  
to enact incremental customs reforms through the amendments to the Customs Act in 2017. 
However, we remain concerned with penalties regime of Thai Customs and the continued use of 
commission payments for customs officials and informants. Although the redu ction in per penalty 
commission range and cap were an improvement, we were disappointed that the Customs Act 
amendments did not eliminate the use of commission payments. We would appreciate an update 
from the Thai delegation on the Government 's plans to en act further customs reforms in this area.  
4.84.   We also have concerns about aspects of Thailand 's regime for agriculture products and SPS 
measures maintained by Thailand to restrict trade. For example, we are interested in better 
understanding the import fees an d approval procedures for live animals and/or animal products. We 
would also like a better understanding of Thai standards on food safety, in addition to applications 
and procedures for genetically engineered products.  
4.85.   We applaud the efforts by the Royal Thai Government to strengthen elements of its intellectual 
property rights system, including the amendment of the Trademark and Copyright Acts, the 
establishment of a National Committee on Intellectual Property Policy, addressing backlogs for 
patent and tr ademark applications, as well as sustained enforcement efforts to combat counterfeit 
and pirated goods. As Thailand works to strengthen its IPR framework, we would be interested in 
hearing about its plans for improvements in other areas. We also would appr eciate updates on 
Thailand 's progress in amending its Patent Act and acceding to the Hague Agreement and WIPO 
Internet Treaties.  
4.86.   The United States supports Thailand 's efforts over the past decade to liberalize its 
telecommunications market and improvements  in Thai implementing domestic legislation on foreign 
equity limitations. We encourage Thailand to revise its WTO General Agreement on Trade in Services 
(GATS) schedule to reflect these higher foreign -equity limits, as it pledged to do in its 1997 schedule . 
The United States would welcome an update from Thailand on its plans to amend its GATS schedule 
to reflect its current level of market access.  
4.87.   Finally, I wish to note that the United States submitted 53 advanced written questions to the 
Royal Thai Govern ment. However, we receive replies to less than half of them – 26, and there is no 
indication when we will receive the remaining responses. Unfortunately, this prevents the United 
States from fully engaging in this TPR, as we do not have the benefit of the expected exchange of 
information on trade policy and may not have an opportunity to ask follow -up questions. 
Transparency is a cornerstone of this exercise, and an important indicator of a successful TPR. We 
ask that the remaining questions be answered pri or to Day 2.  WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  4.88.   Nevertheless, we appreciate the opportunity provided by this meeting to discuss Thailand 's 
trade and investment policies. We look forward to receiving Thailand 's responses to our advanced 
written questions, to working together to address outst anding issues and further strengthen our 
bilateral relationship, and to continue our cooperation here at the WTO and in ASEAN, APEC, and 
other fora.  
CHINA  
4.89.   China warmly welcomes the delegation of Thailand to this virtual Trade Policy Review and 
would also like to express our appreciation to the Discussant, Ambassador of Peru for the detailed 
report and insightful comments and also the Secretariat 's efforts and contributions to this TPR.  
4.90.   China and Thailand are close neighbours with a long history of close an d vibrant economic 
relationship, which are underpinned by strong trade and investment flows. China has been the 
largest trade partner of Thailand and was the biggest investment source of Thailand in 2019. 
Thailand is the third largest trading partner of Ch ina in ASEAN. Despite the negative impact on trade 
brought by the covid -19 pandemic, the bilateral trade continues to keep growing. For the first three 
quarters of this year, we are pleased to see the bilateral trade reaching USD 71.8 billion, up 8.1% 
year on year.  
4.91.   China highly commends Thailand 's firm commitments to the rules -based multilateral trading 
system especially in the current difficult situation, when WTO is facing the biggest existential 
challenges since its establishment. We recognize Thailand 's constructive participation in the WTO 
work, especially during this review period, its active participation in ITA expansion negotiation and 
its implementation of the Agreement, as well as Thailand 's early ratification of Trade Facilitation 
Agreement with high commitments in category A. We also appreciate Ambassador Sunanta for her 
contribution esp. As the GC chair last year.  
4.92.   Thailand 's active role in the regional cooperation has also been well recognized. Among all 
those FTAs and regional cooperation with Thailand as a member or party, China would specifically 
commend Thailand 's active engagement in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership 
negotiation and its signature on it ten days ago together with other 14 parties after 8 years of 
negotiations. W e are looking forward to the RCEP early entry into force and believe this would not 
only benefit RCEP parties but would also bring significant opportunities and benefits to other 
countries both in the region and outside the region. In the meantime, partici pation in the RCEP also 
shows Thailand 's firm belief in trade liberalization and openness, especially during the time when 
the global trade is suffering unilateralism and protectionism.  
4.93.   Finally, we would like to thank Thailand for its written replies to ou r written questions and 
wish Thailand a full successful trade policy review.  
UNITED  KINGDOM  
4.94.   On behalf of Her Majesty 's Government, I am pleased to add my welcome to the delegation 
of Thailand, led by the Honourable Mr Rachavitch Piyapramote. The UK is enco uraged by the 
improvements made during the previous review period, such as the consideration of ways to 
strengthen protection of intellectual property rights. We likewise appreciate Thailand 's responses to 
our written questions.  
4.95.   I would also like to thank Her Excellency Sunanta Kangvalkulkij (the Permanent 
Representative of Thailand to the WTO and WIPO) for her leadership, and Her Excellency Silvia Alfaro 
Espinosa (Peru) for her insightful and illuminating remarks as discussant.  
4.96.   The COVID -19 pandemic has cr eated difficult circumstances for us all. We note that Thailand 
has taken recent steps to stimulate its economy and has implemented a number of measures to 
facilitate the movement of goods during the pandemic. We welcome this commitment to keeping 
global v alue chains open.  
4.97.   2020 marks the 165th year of diplomatic relations between the UK and Thailand. Our two 
countries have had a long and historic relationship, with shared values and, particularly, an interest 
in mutual prosperity and maintaining the rules based international  system. Thailand is one of the WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  UK's most valued trading partners. Our total bilateral trade in goods and services was £6.2bn in the 
four quarters to the end of Q1 2020, an increase of £20m from the previous year.  
4.98.   The UK is pleased to be conducting a bilat eral Joint Trade Review with Thailand, due to 
conclude this year. Through this, both sides are identifying opportunities to enhance bilateral trade 
relations and set the groundwork for future cooperation, supporting the UK 's ambition to use our 
voice as a new independent trading nation to champion free trade, strengthen the rules -based 
international system, fight protectionism and reduce trade barriers, including by working specifically 
with our closest trading partners.  
4.99.   We enjoy extensive trade and diploma tic collaboration, particularly within the WTO where we 
are both founding Members. An example of a service sector where we have close collaboration is 
education. The British Council has worked in Thailand for over 60 years and has six offices in the 
countr y providing English courses, teacher training and collaboration in the arts and creative 
industries. The UK now has an Education cooperation MOU with Thailand which was signed in 2016 
and around 6,500 students take part in educational programmes in the UK each year. We are also 
keen to collaborate with Thailand on tech, through the UK 's new Digital Trade Network in the Asia 
Pacific region, an investment of £8m with one of our key resources based in Thailand.  
4.100.   The United Kingdom looks forward to continuing to collaborate with Thailand as our bilateral 
Joint Trade Review process nears conclusion. In closing, allow me to extend our warmest wishes for 
a successful WTO Trade Policy Review and to thank you for your e ngagement with this process and 
the World Trade Organization.  
EUROPEAN  UNION  
4.101.   On behalf of the European Union, I would first like to welcome the delegation of Thailand led 
by Mr. Rachavitch Piyapramote (Minister, Permanent Mission of Thailand to the WTO and  WIPO, 
Bangkok Office). I would also like to thank the WTO Secretariat and the Government of Thailand for 
their reports. Let me extend also our appreciation to the discussant, H.E. Ms Silvia Elena Alfaro 
Espinosa (Ambassador of Peru) for giving us her view s on the main economic and trade trends in 
Thailand and on the opportunities and challenges ahead. The EU welcomes this opportunity to 
discuss developments in Thailand's trade and economic policies and business environment since its 
previous WTO Trade Poli cy Review in 2015.  
4.102.   The EU and Thailand have a long -standing and well -developed economic relationship. The 
EU continues to be among Thailand 's top trading partners, and our bilateral trade flows continue 
steadily increasing. To give some examples, from 2014  until 2018, both EU exports to Thailand and 
EU imports from Thailand increased by around 28%, and continued growing in 2019 (based on EU -27 
data). The EU remains one of the four biggest Thailand 's exports destination (9.6%) and shares 
8.8% of total Thaila nd's imports. At the same time, Thailand is one of the most important 
destinations of EU investments within ASEAN countries and the fifth largest source of FDI inflows in 
Thailand.  
4.103.   The EU and Thailand also share a strong commitment to the WTO, and we look  forward to 
further working together to strengthen the rule -based multilateral trading system. We would like to 
congratulate Thailand for the ratification of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement in 2015 and for 
the acceptance of the Protocol Amending the T RIPS Agreement in 2016. We also welcome Thailand 's 
engagement in the WTO on -going discussions on e -commerce.  
4.104.   The COVID -19 pandemic is a far -reaching shock bearing serious short and long -term 
consequences on the economy and on trade worldwide. It has strong ly hit the traditional growth 
engines of Thailand 's economy, relying on exports, tourism and private consumption. The Thai 
authorities reacted quickly in adopting short -term measures to address the economic and social 
fallout of the crisis.  
4.105.   In terms of me dium and long -term perspectives, the Thai Government has called for 
amending the 20 -Year National Strategy, launched in 2017, which aims to achieve high -income 
status by 2036 and transform Thailand into a digital, value -added, innovative and knowledge -based 
economy, notably through the Thailand 4.0 strategy. In this respect, Thailand has identified as key WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  priorities the following areas: community level economic development, enhancing competitiveness, 
upgrading human resources and infrastructure development.   
4.106.   The EU commends this reorientation of Thailand 's economic policies and encourages Thailand 
to ensure that these overarching directions are translated into concrete actions delivering tangible 
results. Notably, the EU wishes to highlight the key importanc e of carrying out deeper structural 
reforms in order to achieve long -lasting impacts, contribute to a sustainable socio -economic recovery 
from the pandemic and enable growth in the longer run, avoiding the middle -income trap.  
4.107.   In this regard, in our written  questions we have flagged a number of issues on which the EU 
has questions or concerns, and we call on Thailand to review its relevant policies and measures with 
a view at furthering the openness, effectiveness and predictability of its trade environment – and in 
turn strengthen its position in the global economy.  
4.108.   Our written comments cover several areas of Thailand 's economic and trade policies, among 
which let me recall some issues that would represent crucial enabling factors for a stronger economic 
and business environment in Thailand.  
4.109.   Namely:  
• for services and investment, lifting foreign ownership restrictions (notably concerning the 
Foreign Business Act and specific regulations) and opening up to new technology and 
knowhow -based investment;  
• For gov ernment procurement, ensuring transparency, non -discrimination, competition and 
fairness in procurement processes.  
 
4.110.   On the regulatory environment, including on taxation and on competition, having in place 
robust legal frameworks, developed in a transparent  manner and with the involvement of all 
concerned stakeholders, and ensuring their effective and impartial implementation and enforcement.  
4.111.   While we note ongoing efforts to pursue targeted initiatives in specific sectors or geographical 
zones, for instance  through investment incentives, we call on Thailand to broaden and simplify them 
so to cover the whole economy, thereby maximizing their intended outcomes. We also welcome 
initiatives undertaken by Thailand to reform and modernize the regulatory environmen t in various 
areas, such as the adoption of new regulations on procurement and competition over the last years. 
However, the discretionary space left to the administration in establishing secondary legislation and 
managing enforcement continues to be a con cern for foreign economic operators. Reducing such 
discretionality, including through enhanced transparency and digitalisation, would play a key role in 
establishing a more attractive business environment.   
4.112.   The EU is confident that this TPR will help Thail and in reviewing its own policies. Looking 
ahead, we hope that Thailand will continue to increase liberalization in the sectors that can most 
contribute to enhancing its competitiveness and to further integrating in international supply chains 
– to the ben efit of the Thai economy and society as a whole.  
4.113.   On behalf of the EU, I wish Thailand a very productive and successful Review.  
REPUBLIC  OF KOREA  
4.114.   I would like to extend a warm welcome to the delegates who are in Geneva as well as in 
Bangkok for the 8th (eighth) Trade Policy Review of Thailand. In particular, I would like to thank 
Minister Rachavitch Piyapramote, Permanent Representative of Thailand to the WTO and WIPO in 
Bangkok Office, for his comprehensive presentation.  
4.115.   My special appreciation also goes to Ambassador Silvia Alfaro for her contribution as a 
discussant and Ambassador Sunanta and her team for their hard work.  
4.116.   Turning to the Thai eco nomy, Korea is pleased to note that the Thai economy grew at an 
annual average rate of 3.4% between 2015 and 2019.  WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  4.117.   However, the Thai economy faced an economic downturn in 2019 and this year, its economic 
difficulties have been exacerbated by the adverse i mpact of the COVID -19 pandemic. To mitigate 
the pandemic 's effects, the Thai Government has taken various actions including the COVID -19 
Relief Package as well as monetary measures.  
4.118.   It is our sincere hope that Thailand will address this unprecedented chal lenge in a cooperative 
way through the multilateral trading system.  
4.119.   In addition to responding to the immediate threats of the pandemic, Thailand has 
implemented the Twelfth National Economic and Social Development Plan (NESDP) 2017 -2021, in 
line with the 2 0-Year National Strategy (2018 -2037), which is a long -term vision for structural 
reform to address challenges such as domestic constraints.  
4.120.   In terms of international fora, Korea takes note of Thailand 's efforts to support the 
rules-based multilateral tradi ng system. Thailand has played a pivotal role in trade cooperation, both 
as the chair of the ASEAN Committee in Geneva and the chair of the WTO General Council during 
the review period. Since its 7th (seventh) TPR, Thailand has concluded two Free Trade Agr eements, 
with Chile and with Hong Kong, China, respectively.  
4.121.   Korea and Thailand have maintained a strong bilateral economic relationship with the 
Korea -ASEAN FTA. The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, which was recently signed 
by Asian leaders,  will provide an opportunity to strengthen the relationship among participating 
countries.  
4.122.   Between Korea and Thailand, the bilateral investment treaty and double taxation avoidance 
agreement entered into force in 1989 and 2007, respectively.  
4.123.   In terms of m ore specific sectoral cooperation, both countries ' customs agencies have signed 
a mutual recognition arrangement for the Authorized Economic Operator program in 2006, which 
facilitates international trade. Going forward, Korea has high hopes that this bila teral relationship 
will keep growing through various kinds of cooperation.  
4.124.   Korea has submitted written questions on various aspects of Thailand 's trade policy including 
anti-dumping measures and specific trade concerns and is grateful for Thailand 's timel y written 
response.  
4.125.   I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate some points which we further seek Thailand 's 
productive and positive responses to.  
4.126.   First, Korea notes that about 70% of the anti -dumping measures currently in force in 
Thailand are th ose that have been extended beyond their sunset period. Taking into account these 
measures ' adverse effects on trade, taking more prudent approaches in the anti -dumping review 
process would be recommended.  
4.127.   Second, we are concerned that foreign securities companies which operate their businesses 
in Thailand are subject to frequent audits by the Securities and Exchange Commission. We would 
like to kindly request Thailand to consider providing audit guidelines for better predictability.  
4.128.   Lastly, many Korean co mpanies are facing difficulties in exporting medical equipment and 
wireless communication equipment to the Thai market due to non -tariff measures, especially owing 
to the excessive costs and complexities caused by the certification process. In this regard,  Korea 
would like to encourage Thailand to improve its institutional framework for standards and conformity 
assessment.  
4.129.   Korea would like to once again highlight Thailand 's efforts to make the overall trading 
environment more open, transparent, and efficien t. Let me conclude by expressing my deep 
appreciation to the delegation of Thailand for its hard work and wishing the delegation every success 
in this TPR.  
  WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  MYANMAR  ON BEHALF  OF ASEAN  
4.130.   On behalf of ASEAN, Myanmar is honoured to deliver the ASEAN Statement .  
4.131.   We would like to extend a very warm welcome to His Excellency Mr. Rachavitch Piyapramote 
and his delegation. We also thank the Secretariat for their effort in preparing comprehensive review 
reports, and the discussant, H.E. Silvia Alfaro of Peru for her  insightful comments.  
4.132.   Thailand is a founding Member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). 
ASEAN was established with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration in Bangkok, Thailand on 
8 August  1967. Since then, Thailand has actively contributed  to ASEAN 's regional integration and 
cooperation efforts as set out in the ASEAN Economic Blueprint (AEC) 2025 Blueprint.  
4.133.   During its ASEAN chairmanship in 2019, driven by the theme of "Advancing Partnership for 
Sustainability ", Thailand successfully facilitated the accomplishment of key priority economic 
deliverables, such as:  
i. ASEAN Digital Integration Framework Action Plan;  
ii. ASEAN Innovation Roadmap 2019 -2025: Partnering for Innovative Community;  
iii. Guidelines on Skilled Labor/Professional Services Development in Response to the Fourth  
Industrial Revolution (4IR);  
iv. ASEAN Declaration on Industrial Transformation to Industry 4.0;  
v. Digitalisation of ASEAN Micro Enterprises;  
vi. ASEAN Single Window (ASW);  
vii. Promoting Sustainable Fishe ries through ASEAN Cooperation; and  
viii. Roadmap for ASEAN Sustainable Capital Markets.  
 
4.134.   In addition to this, Thailand together with other ASEAN Member States had worked tirelessly 
towards the substantial conclusion of the 20 Chapters under the Regional Compre hensive Economic 
Partnership (RCEP), and was also instrumental towards the full conclusion and signing on the RCEP 
Agreement during the 37th ASEAN Summit on 15 November 2020,  
4.135.   Thailand is the seventh -largest economy in Asia, and the second largest in ASEAN.  In 2019, 
Thailand 's total trade amounted to USD 483.2 billion, increasing by 15.8% from 2015. Thailand's 
two-way trade in goods and services represented 110% of its GDP in 2019, reflecting the country's 
outward -orientation and integration into global valu e chains.  
4.136.   Between 2015 and 2019, Thailand 's trade with other ASEAN Members accounted for 27.6% 
of its total trade volume. It has continued to pursue its economic integration agenda within ASEAN 
where progress is being made towards the consolidation of the  ASEAN Economic Community.  
4.137.   Since its last Review in 2015, Thailand has reported changes in its customs regime and 
adopted a new Customs Act (2017) to simplify customs procedures and improve transparency. It 
also ratified the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreemen t and has now implemented 97.1% of its 
commitments. In addition, Thailand has implemented reforms to its IP system, aimed at boosting 
performance in the areas of science, technology and innovation.  
4.138.   ASEAN notes the issuance of the National Strategy (2018 -2037) by the new Thai 
Government, which underpins the country 's development policy, Thailand 4.0. The latter aims at 
transforming Thailand into a value -added, innovative, and knowledge -based economy through the 
promotion of innovation and development of new technology -based industries.  
4.139.   ASEAN recognizes the active engagement and commitment of Thailand to the rules -based 
multilateral trading system, which enables stable and sustainable international economic growth. 
Over the review period, Thailand actively eng aged in various WTO negotiations, discussions and 
regular work, including on WTO reform, fisheries subsidies, electronic commerce and domestic 
regulation. The Chairmanship of Thailand 's Permanent Representative to the WTO, H.E. Sunanta 
Kangvalkulkij, in th e Dispute Settlement Body in 2018 and the General Council in 2019 demonstrates 
the significant contribution of Thailand to the WTO. During Thailand's ASEAN Chairmanship year in 
2019, Thailand also successfully chaired the ASEAN Committee in Geneva.  WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  4.140.   Togethe r with Thailand, ASEAN reaffirms our strong commitment to uphold an open, 
inclusive, transparent, non -discriminatory and rules -based multilateral trading system as embodied 
in the WTO. During this time difficult time caused by the unintended consequences o f the COVID -19 
pandemic, Thailand together with ASEAN are committed towards building economic resilience within 
the region through the newly adopted ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework (ACRF) that was 
launched by the ASEAN Leaders during the recent 37th  ASEAN Summit on 12 November 2020. One 
of the commitments made by ASEAN is to keep our market opens especially on essential goods and 
to ensure uninterrupted supply chain within the region.  
4.141.   Some ASEAN Member States have submitted written questions to Thai land and we would 
like to express our appreciation in advance and look forward to their written responses.  
4.142.   We would also like to thank the delegation for their constructive engagement, and we wish 
Thailand a successful eighth Trade Policy Review.  
MYANMAR  
4.143.   Myanmar aligns itself with the ASEAN Statement.  
4.144.   At the outset, on behalf of Myanmar delegation, I wish to welcome the Secretariat report 
and the report of the Royal Thai Government to this 8th Trade Policy Review.  
4.145.   We also wish to express our appreciation to Thailand for its comprehensive responses to the 
written questions of Myanmar.  
4.146.   Secondly, Myanmar commend Thailand for its key Development Policies and related 
Strategies in implementing its National Economic and Social Development Plan (NESDP) 2017 -2021,  
Industrial Development Plan (2017 -2036) and COVID -19 related Trade and Investment Policies and 
Measures.  
4.147.   Myanmar and Thailand have long standing good neighbourliness relationships and mutual 
beneficial cooperation in the areas of economic and social deve lopments since historical times.  
4.148.   The bilateral trade between Myanmar and Thailand has been growing gradually with the 
increased imports from Thailand to Myanmar.  
4.149.   Globally, Thailand is Myanmar 's second largest trading partner and third largest investor in 
the country whereas Thailand is M yanmar 's top trading partner in the region.  
4.150.   Both countries have also been cooperating in bilateral, regional and multilateral fora. We 
believe that there still exist potentials to further enhance bilateral trade between our two countries.  
4.151.   Through this TPR  process, we have seen Thailand 's commitment for progressive liberalization 
in its trade and investment regime. We congratulate Thailand for its World 's No.3 position among 
190 countries in the World Bank 's Doing Business Report 2020.  
4.152.   Before I conclude, I  wish to express our appreciation to Thailand for its support in multilateral 
trading system, necessary reform measures and transparency in the WTO while taking into 
consideration of the LDC 's vulnerability and requirements.  
4.153.   Finally, I wish to express our thanks to Thailand for its comprehensive responses to our 
questions and wish its 8th Trade Policy Review a great success.  
SINGAPORE  
4.154.   The Singapore delegation welcomes the Thai delegation, including those who are 
participating virtually from Bangkok. We than k Thailand for the comprehensive Government report 
and statement. We also thank TPRB Chair, Ambassador Harald Aspelund, the Secretariat, and the 
discussant, Ambassador Silva Alfaro Espinosa of Peru, for their insightful perspectives.  WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  4.155.   At the outset, Singap ore commends Thailand for supporting the "hybrid " TPR of the WTO. 
The monitoring function is a critical pillar of the WTO and the continuation of these activities, despite 
the ongoing pandemic, signals the organisation 's resilience. Allow me to make three points.  
4.156.   First, on the multilateral front, Singapore applauds Thailand for its firm commitment in 
upholding the rules -based multilateral trading system, as embodied in the WTO. In particular, we 
commend Ambassador Sunanta for her leadership as Chair of the General Council and the Dispute 
Settlement Body. Thailand has been a constructive voice in the WTO 's regular committees. Thailand 
is also active in the Joint Statement Initiatives, which have made significant headway this year, 
despite the challenging circ umstances.  
4.157.   Second, on the regional front, Thailand has made significant contributions within ASEAN. 
Under its Chairmanship in 2019, we concluded key elements of the Regional Comprehensive 
Economic Partnership (RCEP) Agreement, which was signed last week ( 16 November). RCEP covers 
close to 30% of the global population and 29% of global GDP, and is testament to the value of 
multilateralism, free and open trade, and connected supply chains. During Thailand 's Chairmanship 
of ASEAN, all ASEAN Member States came  onboard the ASEAN Single Window and signed the ASEAN 
Protocol on Enhanced Dispute Settlement Mechanism.  
4.158.   Thailand also advanced ASEAN 's digital integration agenda. This was done through the Digital 
Integration Framework Action Plan 2019 –2025 and deliverabl es on the Fourth Industrial Revolution. 
These initiatives strengthen ASEAN cooperation in areas such as industrial transformation, digital 
trade facilitation, data connectivity and payments, and provide a strong foundation towards a single 
regional digital  economy in ASEAN.  
4.159.   Third, on the bilateral front, Singapore and Thailand share warm and longstanding bilateral 
relations. Our bilateral trade remains robust, despite the COVID -19 pandemic. In the five -year period 
from 2014 to 2019, bilateral trade grew by 3.2% to USD 23.4 billion in 2019.  Our companies remain 
keen to invest in Thailand. In 2018, Singapore 's stock investments in Thailand amounted to 
US 19.3 billion, representing a 28.9% increase since 2014. Additionally, Singapore and Thailand 
share close pe ople-to-people relations. In 2019, there were around 1 million visitors from Singapore 
to Thailand, and around half a million visitors from Thailand to Singapore.  
4.160.   To conclude, Singapore will continue to strengthen our cooperation with Thailand, on the 
multilateral, regional and bilateral fronts. We wish Thailand every success for this TPR.  
UKRAINE  
4.161.   Our delegation is pleased to participate in the 8th Trade Policy Review (TPR) of Thailand, 
which gives a good opportunity to understand the full range of the cou ntry's trade policies and 
practices, recent economic developments since its last Review in 2016 and their impact on the 
functioning of the multilateral trading system.  
4.162.   I would like to warmly welcome the delegation of Thailand led by Mr. Rachavitch 
Piyapram ote, and express appreciation to the Thai team for its constructive engagement in this TPR 
exercise. Ukraine also appreciates the substantial work of the TPRB Chair and the WTO Secretariat, 
the meaningful analysis of the discussant, H.E. Ms. Silvia Elena A lfaro Espinosa.  
4.163.   Ukraine commends Thailand for its positive economic performance represented by solid 
growth of the Thai economy till 2019, intention to meet the target of free and open trade and 
investment, reduction of some of tariff rates for goods that  are subject to tariff peaks.  
4.164.   Ukraine also acknowledges efforts of the Government of Thailand in implementation of 
accommodative fiscal and monetary policies to support economic growth and measures taken to 
tackle difficulties caused by the adverse impact  of the COVID -19 pandemic during 2020. We wish 
Thailand to successfully address current threats to its economic performance and challenges and to 
achieve its structural reform for further sustained economic growth by increasing investment, 
implementing pol icies to enhance innovation, productivity and competitiveness, and pursuing the 
liberalization of trade.  WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  4.165.   Ukraine notes importance of international trade in the Thai economy and maintaining position 
of Thailand as the world's 19th largest exporter and the 1 7th largest importer of goods, and the 
12th and 16th among the world's top exporters and importers of commercial services. We believe 
that Thailand will keep its market open and predictable, despite the pandemic.  
4.166.   The Ukrainian side recognizes Thailand`s c ommitment and strong support of the rules -based 
multilateral trading system providing for stability and sustainability of international economic 
growth. We highly value active engagement of Thailand in WTO activities and participation in 
discussions under the Work Programme on Electronic Commerce, co -sponsored the Joint Statement 
on E-commerce Initiative etc. We note achievement of Thailand in the implementation of Trade 
Facilitation Agreement - at a rate of more than 94.1%.  
4.167.   Thailand is an important partne r of Ukraine. In 2019 the Ukrainian -Thai trade in goods 
amounted to USD 540.0 million ( ↑ 26.4% comparably to 2018), exports - USD 322.1 million, imports 
- USD 217.9 million. However, due to the COVID -19 crisis, as of January -July 2020, our bilateral 
trade contracted by 41.7% (USD 186.6 million), exports of goods decreased by ↓ 59.2%, 
(USD  79.8 million), imports by ↓ 14.3% (USD 106.8 million).  
4.168.   As of the 1st July 2020, Thailand 's investment to Ukraine amounted to USD 5.1 million.  
4.169.   For both trade and investment flows, Ukraine believes that the potential for further expansion 
remains substantial. Inauguration of work of the Joint Commission on Trade Issues shall become an 
effective instrument for the development of bilateral trade and  economic relations between the two 
countries and give a powerful impetus to enhancing of bilateral trade.  
4.170.   The reports of the Government of Thailand and the WTO Secretariat raised questions in a 
number of areas – as detailed in Ukraine`s written submissio ns to this Review. The main themes 
addressed were customs procedures, simplification of tariff structure, price regulation and control, 
regulations on banking and other financial services, results of the investment promotion strategy, 
COVID -19 related poli cies and measures, electronic commerce etc.  
4.171.   While expressing gratitude for given responses, Ukraine is looking forward to developing 
further partnership and enhanced trade between both countries and wishes Thailand successful TPR.   
THE SEPARATE  CUSTOMS  TERRITORY  OF TAIWAN,  PENGHU,  KINMEN  AND  MATSU  
4.172.   On behalf of the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu, I would 
first like to extend our warm welcome to the Thai delegation led by His Excellency 
Minister  Piyapramote. We expect to have a successful 8th TPR for Thailand.  
4.173.   As noted  in both reports of Thai Government and the Secretariat, since its previous Review 
in 2016, Thailand has maintained macro -financial stability and remarkable economic growth, with 
minor inflation, a sizeable current account surplus, and a sound financial sy stem, among other 
positive signals. We congratulate Thailand on these healthy and stable performances. Like other 
Members, Thailand is also affected by the COVID -19 pandemic, especially in its manufacturing and 
tourism sectors. However, we believe the Reli ef Package and various structural reform measures 
launched by the Thai Government will be effective in weathering the storm and building a more 
resilient economy.  
4.174.   Regarding our bilateral trade relations, despite the global economic downturn and trade 
tensions that have negatively impacted our bilateral trade, we still observe in general a healthy and 
growing trend in the trading relationship. For the year 2019, Thailand was our 13th largest trading 
partner, with total bilateral trade amounting to USD 9.8 b illion. It was also the 12th largest 
destination for our exports and our 16th largest source of imports. Furthermore, Thailand is a major 
destination for our outbound investments in Southeast Asia, concentrated mainly on manufacturing 
sectors such as chemi cals, electrical, electronics, textiles, food and others. We believe Thailand 's 
open and transparent regime will lead to further growth in our bilateral trade and investment 
relations in the future. In particular, we commend the Thailand Government on its ambitions to 
improve the openness of its trade and investment regime since the previous Review, and the 
progress already made. We also believe that Thailand 's policies on structural reform and its 
development plans for the digital economy - smart cities an d the global supply chain, which include WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  the "Thailand 4.0 " and the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) - will create more business opportunities 
for both of us.  
4.175.   Having said this, I would just like to make some requests or to highlight a few areas in which 
we would encourage the Thai Government to consider making more progress in its reform:  
4.176.   First, in 2016 the Thailand Government initiated the project called "Regulatory Guillotine " to 
review its existing laws, rules and regulations in order to ensure greater ef ficiency. The first stage 
focused on streamlining the complex processes of licensing and permit issuing, and regulatory 
procedures. It would be appreciated if the Thai Government could share with us the results of this 
project so far and the future steps p lanned for streamlining the requirements for licensing and permit 
process.  
4.177.   Second, Thai Government has set the "10 Targeted Industries " to be Thailand 's new 
economic growth engines to help Thailand 's achievement of its structural reform. We would 
apprecia te if Thailand can explain whether and to what extent subsidies from the government have 
a role to play in supporting the "10 Targeted Industries ". 
4.178.   Third, Thailand applies import licensing and other requirements on various products on the 
grounds of public -health, national economic security, and IP protection, among others. While we 
respect its authority to apply these requirements, we think there is still room for further relaxation. 
We therefore encourage the Thai Government to take a further look at the requirements currently 
applied on products such as building stones, used motor vehicles, re -treaded tyres, printing and 
colour copier machines, electrical appliances and others.  
4.179.   Forth, according to the Secretariat 's report, "a foreign commercial bank may be established 
in Thailand either as a branch or as a subsidiary. " The Report also indicates that foreign investors in 
commercial banking are still subject to the licensing requirements and foreign ownership limits as 
prescribed under the Financial Institu tions Business Act (FIBA). However, according to Thailand 's 
written responses, it will not be granting new licenses in the near future and further liberalization is 
being considered only through bilateral negotiations under the Qualified ASEAN Banks (QAB) 
framework. We would urge the Thai Government to consider further liberalizing its banking sector 
for other WTO Members which are not able to access to the QAB.   
4.180.   Fifth, we support and are very interested in Thailand 's Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) 
project  for the development of a high value -added, high technology and innovative economy. We 
understand that various generous incentives are available to investors destined for the Corridor. 
However, we believe that transparent procedures, clear timelines and re asonable requirements in 
relation to investment approval and environmental impact assessment are indispensable to the 
ultimate success of this project.  
4.181.   We thank Thailand for its written responses to our questions. At the same time, we would 
greatly apprec iate receiving more details of other opportunities accessible to potential investors.  
4.182.   Finally, I would like to express again our sincere wish for a constructive and successful TPR. 
We look forward to closer and more mutually beneficial economic ties with Thailand.  
JAPAN  
4.183.   Let me first extend a warm welcome to this Eighth TPR meeting to the distinguished 
delegation of Thailand headed by Mr. Rachavitch Piyapramote, Minister, Permanent Mission of 
Thailand to the WTO and WIPO. We truly appreciate that the Thai delegation has shown great 
flexibility by agreeing to hold this TPR meeting via a virtual format under the current circumstances. 
We are thankful for the answers to our written questions and look forward to hearing reply from 
Thailand on one remaining ques tion we just re -submitted. Also, we sincerely appreciate the 
dedicated efforts made by Thailand and the WTO Secretariat to prepare the insightful reports shared 
with the members in advance of today's review.  
4.184.   Thailand is a very important trading partner for  Japan. In 2019, Thailand is Japan 's sixth 
largest trading partner, and trade between our two countries reached a value of USD 57 billion in 
total. On investment, Japan continues to be one of the top foreign direct investors to Thailand, and WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  FDI from Japan  amounted to USD 5.1 billion in 2019. In addition, Thailand is the sixth largest 
investor to Japan.  
4.185.   We acknowledge that Thailand has achieved relatively stable economic conditions and 
positive growth over the period under review. During 2020, however, all of our economies have been 
facing difficulties due to the COVID -19 pandemic. Thailand 's main industries, such as the automobile 
sector and the tourism sector, have been particularly hard hit. We look forward to seeing Thailand 
recovering quickly and "building back better " by advancing such measures as structural reforms and 
fiscal reform.  
4.186.   Turning to trade policy, Thailand has concluded 16 Regional Trade Agreements, including 
our Japan -Thailand Economic Partnership Agreement, while continuing to actively ne gotiate for new 
bilateral FTAs. Looking at recent advancements, we welcome the entry into force in August of the 
First Protocol to amend the ASEAN -JAPAN Comprehensive Economic Partnership. Also, we are 
pleased that the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partn ership was signed on 15 November. We 
look forward to further increasing trade and investment between Thailand and Japan by practicing 
these agreements. We believe that Thailand 's efforts and cooperation under RTAs will contribute to 
further strengthening t he Multilateral Trading System.  
4.187.   The Secretariat report notes that Thailand ratified the Trade Facilitation Agreement in 2015 
and has improved its customs regimes since the last review. In this context, we acknowledge the 
progress Thailand has made by mana ging to implement 97.1% of its TFA commitment, and we look 
forward to seeing Thailand continuing to work for the full implementation. We also welcome 
Thailand 's participation in plurilateral frameworks under the WTO such as the expansion of the ITA. 
Overal l, Japan highly appreciates Thailand 's efforts for trade liberalization. We look forward to 
Thailand actively and continuously engaging in, and further participating in multilateral as well as 
plurilateral frameworks under the WTO, including discussions/ne gotiations within the Joint 
Statement Initiative for further pursuing trade liberalization and strengthening of the Multilateral 
Trading System.  
4.188.   With regard to trade related measures under the COVID -19 pandemic, we recognize that 
Thailand adopted measures such as export bans on surgical masks. We encourage Thailand to 
continue to align its measures with the principle agreed on at the ASEAN Plus Three Summit of 
"ensuring that measures deemed necessary for public health emergency response are targeted, 
propor tionate, transparent and temporary and that they do not create unnecessary barriers to trade 
or disruption to regional supply chains, and are consistent with WTO rules. "  
4.189.   In conclusion, we firmly believe that by observing its commitments to the WTO, Thaila nd will 
be well placed to pursue an open, transparent and non -discriminatory market for its development. 
And, again we appreciate Thailand 's flexibility to agree to hold this TPR meeting today by virtual 
format. We wish Thailand a successful and productive  TPR and look forward to hearing of further 
progress regarding its trade and investment policies at its next TPR.  
INDIA  
4.190.   Thank you Chair, my delegation is pleased to participate in the 8th Trade Policy Review of 
Thailand. On behalf of India, I will like to welcome the delegation of Thailand led by Mr. Rachavitch 
Piyapramote, Minister, Permanent Mission of Thailand to the WTO and WIPO, Bangkok Office; 
H.E. Sunanta Kangvalkulkij, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Thailand to the WTO and 
WIPO a nd her team in Geneva for the TPR. We thank Mr. Rachavitch Piyapramote for his 
comprehensive opening statement, Ambassador H.E. Ms Silvia Elena Alfaro Espinosa of Peru, for her 
insightful observations as a discussant, and the Secretariat and the Government  of Thailand for the 
reports prepared for the Review.  
4.191.   We are pleased to note from the Secretariat 's report that during the period under review, 
Thailand has maintained macro -financial stability, supported by prudent fiscal and monetary policies. 
The stable  and continuous growth witnessed between 2015 and 2018 has enabled Thailand to join 
the upper -middle -income group of countries. We wish to complement the Thai Government and its 
people on their economic success and also for a successful management of the C OVID -19 pandemic. 
We also acknowledge the recent slowdown in the economic growth witnessed from 2019 due to 
reasons beyond Thailand 's control.  WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  4.192.   India and Thailand share centuries old ties of friendship and cultural linkages. The 
relationship is rooted in hi story, civilization  and extensive people to people linkages. Today, India 's 
relations with Thailand are multi -dimensional. India 's "Look East " policy and Thailand 's "Look West " 
policy, which have now metamorphosed into India 's "Act East " and Thailand 's "Act West " policies 
are strongly contributing to consolidation of bilateral relations, including economic and commercial 
linkages. India 's partnership with Thailand also has a strong regional dimension in the context of 
India's engagement with ASEAN and membe rship of groupings such as BIMSTEC, Mekong Ganga 
Cooperation (MGC) and Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD). There have been regular high -level 
exchanges between the two countries in the recent years. The closer relationship between the two 
countries was furthe r demonstrated in participation of the Prime Minister of Thailand along with all 
ASEAN Heads of States as Chief Guests at the Republic Day celebration of India in January 2018. 
The closer political relationship has contributed to a new dynamism in economic  and commercial 
ties. 
4.193.   Trade and investment constitute a key pillar of India 's expanding relations with Thailand, 
including in the framework of India -ASEAN FTA in goods and services. In the ASEAN region, Thailand 
ranks as India 's 5th largest trading partner . During the period under review, bilateral trade between 
two countries has increased by more than 60%. Bilateral trade between India and Thailand was 
USD 12.14 billion in 2019 with exports from India to Thailand at US D 4.80 billion and import from 
Thailan d to India at US D 7.34 billion. Before the slowdown kicked in, bilateral trade increased by 
20% in year 2018. Both the countries are working on ways to enhance connectivity including in the 
areas of physical and digital connectivity.  
4.194.   The fast -growing India n market remains attractive for Thai investors and exporters. An Early 
Harvest Scheme (EHS), covering 83 products, under the India -Thailand Comprehensive Economic 
Cooperation Agreement (CECA), in place since September 2004, has significantly contributed to  the 
growth in our bilateral trade. The ASEAN -India Trade in Goods Agreement (AITGA), which came into 
effect from 1 January  2010 has resulted in further expanding of our bilateral trade and its proposed 
review will make it even more user -friendly, simple a nd trade facilitative for businesses.  
4.195.   Beyond trade, our investment ties have grown rapidly with two -way investments in sector 
such as IT, pharmaceuticals, chemical, food processing, infrastructure, automotive, engineering 
goods, and hospitality. Quite a la rge number of our businesses are thriving in each other 's market. 
The expanding connectivity between both the countries, through land, air and sea have helped both 
our commercial as well as the people -to-people linkages.  
4.196.   We are committed to strengthening trade and investment partnership with Thailand. Both 
countries have established institutional mechanisms and agreements for promoting trade and 
investment between them and we remain actively engaged to address the bilateral market access 
issues including the export of Indian bovine meat, marine products including shrimps, 
pharmaceuticals, poultry products, electrical equipment, agricultural products such as blueberry, 
strawberry, kiwi fruit, potato, lemon, okra, brown rice, black tea , etc. We are confident that through 
these engagements, both countries can resolve their respective trade concerns and achieve mutually 
beneficial trade exchanges in the future. I would like to thank the Thai delegation for providing 
answers to the questions raised by us for the TPR, which will be reviewed by our Capital.  
4.197.   Before I conclude , I wish to applaud the commitment of Thailand to the multilateral trading 
system and highlight the vast potential for further strengthening the trade and investment ties 
between ou r two countries, given the natural and historical affinities we share. We look forward to 
closely working with the Thai authorities and their delegation in Geneva to strengthen our bilateral 
economic cooperation, as well as to strengthen the multilateral t rading system. I wish our Thai 
friends a productive and successful TPR.  
COLOMBIA  
4.198.   On behalf of the Ambassador of Colombia, Mr. Santiago Wills, we wish to extend our 
greetings to the distinguished delegation of Thailand that is connected today, headed by the Minister 
of the Permanent Mission of Thailand to the WTO and WIPO, Mr. Rachavitch Piyapramote, and to 
your Ambassador, Ms. Sunanta Kangvalkulkij. We would also like to thank the Secretariat for the 
report and the Ambassador Silvia Elena Alfaro Espinosa  (Peru) for her pertinent comments.  WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  4.199.   Thailand is an interesting economy from which there is much to learn. During the period 
under review, it has undergone major structural changes, including the death of His Majesty King 
Bhumibol Adulyadej in 2016, the ado ption of a new constitution in 2017 and a general election in 
2019 after five years without going to the polls.  
4.200.   Nevertheless, the Thai economy remained stable and continued to thrive. During the period 
2015-2019, it saw average growth of 3.4% in real term s, recorded a surplus on its current account 
that led to the accumulation of significant foreign exchange reserves, and kept headline and core 
inflation below the limits established by the central bank.  
4.201.   Thailand is also characterized by its focus on inter national trade in goods and services, as 
well as its successful integration into global value chains. This is evident from the fact that 
international trade was equivalent to 110% of national GDP in 2019. Manufacturing continued to 
dominate the Thai export  structure, making up 73.3% of the total, while agricultural products 
accounted for 17.5%. However, the importance of the Thai agricultural sector should not be 
overlooked as it is a net exporter of these products and one of the world's leading producers o f some 
crops.  
4.202.   Another aspect of the Thai economy that I would like to highlight is the performance of its 
service exports during the period under review. Between 2015 and 2019, it ran a steady surplus, 
thanks mainly to its successful tourism industry, whi ch accounted for 79.4% of total exports. The 
Secretariat report also highlights the vitality of Thai financial services and the modernization of its 
telecommunications services and infrastructure, two sectors that, even though they accounted for a 
relative ly small share of exports, strengthened Thailand's resilience to external shocks.  
4.203.   Unfortunately, the pandemic that broke out in 2020 seriously disrupted this path of growth, 
to the point that the central bank anticipated an economic contraction of 8.1% th is year. In addition, 
as in all the countries around the world, the pandemic brought to the fore challenges that require 
the government's particular attention. I would like to highlight three of these challenges. First, the 
concentration of goods and servi ces exports. The contraction in world trade affected automotive 
exports and global supply chains, while the restrictions on the movement of people were devastating 
for tourism, three areas that are crucial to Thailand's international trade.  
4.204.   Second, major challenges exist in terms of competitiveness and informal labour, which 
together with the ageing population mean a comprehensive fiscal reform is needed. And third, there 
are problems of income inequality and uneven regional development, problems that all developing 
countries face.  
4.205.   Of course, the Government and Central Bank of Thailand are aware of all these challenges, 
which is why they have implemented emergency monetary policy and domestic support measures 
that are valued at approximately 14% of GDP. Th is, together with the productive modernization 
policy, "Thailand 4.0" and the major reforms in areas such as intellectual property, competition and 
public procurement, is generating great optimism about the country's future.  
4.206.   Thailand has played quite a co nstructive role at the WTO. It was a founding member of the 
Organization, it accepted the Protocol Amending the Agreement on Trade -Related Aspects of 
Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), submitted notifications of preferential treatment under the least 
developed country (LDC) services waiver, is party to the Information Technology Agreement (ITA) 
and the ITA expansion, and ratified the Trade Facilitation Agreement with 90% of its commitments 
under Category A. Moreover, it is part of the Joint Statement Ini tiative on Electronic Commerce and 
recently formalized its involvement in the Joint Initiative on Services Domestic Regulation. I also 
think it is important to recognize that the Government Report for this review includes a section on 
micro -, small and med ium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), which contains detailed information on the 
role of these firms in the Thai economy and the policies adopted to promote their participation in 
international trade.  
4.207.   I cannot let this opportunity pass without highlighting the a nalysis provided in the Secretariat 
and Government Reports on the importance of the fishing sector for the Thai economy and its 
exports. The country has adopted substantial measures to combat illegal, unreported and 
unregulated fishing (IUU fishing) and we  think it would be very useful to have detailed information 
on the subject. In 2017, Thailand amended its Fisheries Act, which now has tougher penalties in WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  order to prevent illegal fishing. Colombia submitted several questions on this matter , and we would 
welcome your replies.  
4.208.   The bilateral relationship between Thailand and Colombia has been limited. In 2019, 
aggregate trade between the two countries was in the order of USD 318 million, of which 
USD 283.8  million corresponded to imports that we received fr om Thailand and USD  34.4 million 
were Colombian exports to Thailand, although I note that non -mining/energy exports accounted for 
49%. There is great interest in Colombia in strengthening trade links with Thailand, which is why we 
submitted a lot of questi ons in the framework of this trade review, particularly in areas such as 
technical barriers to trade (TBT), sanitary and phytosanitary measures (SPS), services and 
intellectual property. We thank you for the replies that we have already received to some of  them.  
4.209.   I would like to conclude be wishing Thailand every success in its trade policy review and we 
encourage the Thai representatives to continue to engage constructively within the WTO to improve 
the functioning of the multilateral trading system and ma ke it more inclusive.  
BRAZIL  
4.210.   Let me start by welcoming the Thai delegation, headed by Minister Piyapramote, and by 
thanking the Thai Mission to the WTO, headed by Ambassador Sunanta Kangvalkulkij, for its efforts 
and contributions to this important exercis e. 
4.211.   I would also like to express our sincere appreciation to the Thai government and the WTO 
Secretariat for their reports, as well as to the discussant, Ambassador Silvia Elena Alfaro Espinosa 
(Peru), for her insightful observations, and you, Chair, for yo ur opening comments.  
4.212.   The opportunity to review the trade policies of Thailand is a demonstration of the relevance 
of WTO 's monitoring pillar. Brazil, as always, attaches great importance to this exercise.  
4.213.   We start by praising Thailand for the positive eco nomic performance in the period under 
review. Between 2015 and 2019, Thailand 's GDP increased by an annual average rate of 3.4% in 
real terms. Per capita GDP reached almost USD 8,000 in 2019, placing Thailand in the upper 
middle -income group of countries. There remain important challenges in relation to the need to 
improve income and regional disparities as well as boost the low levels of public and private 
investment.  
4.214.   On WTO related issues, Brazil notes that, since its last trade policy review in 2015, Tha iland 
has made progress in a number of areas, including foreign direct investment and trade facilitation. 
Brazil commends the efforts towards the implementation of the Trade Facilitation Agreement. As 
noted in the Secretariat report, however, work still re mains to be done in this area. Brazil looks 
forward to constructive engagement by Thailand on trade facilitation issues with a view to further 
reduce customs barriers.  
4.215.   Brazil notes that agricultural products face considerably higher tariff rates than 
non-agricultural products: the average tariffs on agricultural products (32.7%) is much higher than 
on non -agricultural products (11.8%). This reality makes it more difficult for agricultural exports to 
get into Thailand. Additionally, we observe that tariff qu otas are in place for 128 tariff lines (with 
very low fill rates among them). Brazil encourages Thailand to make use of ad -valorem rates in 
order to increase transparency.  
4.216.   Another worrisome aspect we wish to mention is that notifications on agricultural do mestic 
support for the past few years remain outstanding. Thailand's latest notification to the WTO on 
domestic support covered the period until 2016. In light of our shared commitment to transparency, 
we encourage Thailand to promptly notify more recent m easures.  
4.217.   Trade relations between Brazil and Thailand are strong. Thailand has consistently been in 
the top -20 export destinations of Brazil and also in the top -20 origins of Brazilian imports.  
4.218.   In 2019, Thailand was Brazil's 4th largest trading partner in t he Association of Southeast 
Asian Nations (ASEAN) and 8th in Asia. Trade between our countries totalled USD 3.2 billion. WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  However, the Brazilian export basket is concentrated in commodities, mainly soy and its by -products 
(74%). The list of imports from Tha iland shows greater diversification and industrial content.  
4.219.   In recent years, the bilateral economic relationship has become richer, with the move from 
a strictly trade dynamic to one of reciprocal investments. The Secretariat report highlights the 
significant increase in investment outflows, indicating that Thailan d has become a net capital 
exporter. Indeed, Thailand has expanded its investment network in Brazil in many important and 
diversified sectors, such as oil and gas, shrimp, electronics and luxury hotels.  
4.220.   Brazil thanks Thailand for the written replies to ou r questions. They were forwarded to our 
capital for examination and follow -up. 
4.221.   Brazil would like to call attention to the fact that 6 of our questions, even though they were 
submitted within the stipulated deadline, have not been answered yet. These are qu estions that 
address the Thai sugar and sugarcane support programmes and the Brazilian request to export pork 
meat to the Thai market. We look forward to receiving comments on these questions from the Thai 
authorities.  
4.222.   In reference to the sugar and sugarc ane support programmes, Brazil expects that the 
reforms that are underway may be finalized soon, in a WTO -consistent manner, so that we can move 
towards a positive solution to our dispute.  
4.223.   With respect to the Brazilian request to export pork, Brazil raised  a specific trade concern 
(STC) on the SPS Committee, because Brazil had not yet received from  Thai authorities the 
questionnaire that it needs to answer in order to initiate the risk analysis procedures. There has not 
been any update on the process, which  began in 2016.  
4.224.   In closing, we congratulate Thailand on its efforts to confront constraints and implement 
reforms compatible with the WTO rules. As Thailand role in the world economy evolves, Brazil is 
counting on Thailand to continue to be a force for st rengthening the multilateral trading system.  
4.225.   We wish Thailand a successful Trade Policy Review.  
TURKEY  
4.226.   We would like to welcome the Thai delegation to the eighth Trade Policy Review of Thailand.  
4.227.   We thank the WTO Secretariat and Thailand for their comprehe nsive reports, and our 
discussant, Ambassador Silvia Elena Alfaro Espinosa of Peru for her insightful comments.   
4.228.   Thailand is one of the most important countries in Southeast Asia.  
4.229.   As it is indicated in the reports, Thailand is an upper -middle -income countr y, with a 
diversified economy in which the services and industrial sectors are the main contributors to GDP 
and exports.  
4.230.   We welcome the growth of Thailand's economy at an average rate of 3.4% annually during 
the review period. Between 2015 -2019, thanks to  the Thai Government 's adoption of 
accommodative fiscal and monetary policies, Thai economy showed a marked improvement.  
4.231.   We believe that the Thai economy will be even stronger and more competitive with the 
implementation of the Twelfth National Economic an d Social Development Plan (NESDP) 2017 -2021 
and also with the 20 -Year National Strategy (2018 -2037).  
4.232.   Thailand is a very important partner for Turkey in Southeast Asia and we are in close 
collaboration in various platforms. Thailand, as an important economi c power, greatly contributes to 
the prosperity of its region.  
4.233.   In our bilateral relations we are particularly interested in cooperating in the areas of trade, 
tourism and culture. Maintaining friendly relations, we have a trade volume of USD 1,4 billion as  of 
2019, which obviously does not reflect the real potential of our economies.  WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  4.234.   Thailand is a rising production base in the ASEAN region. For that reason, to produce for 
East and South Asia, some of our leading companies are investing in Thailand. We also  see Thailand, 
as one of the key drivers for our future enhanced cooperation in the region. In this regard, we are 
working together on the draft "Road Map on the Framework for Comprehensive Partnership between 
Turkey and Thailand " in order to further devel op our bilateral relations.  
4.235.   As the report sets out, Thailand has 13 regional and bilateral free trade agreements (FTAs) 
and two of them have entered into force during the review period. Turkey started FTA negotiations 
with Thailand in 2017. We believe that  finalization of Free Trade Agreement would boost our trade 
volume.  
4.236.   Before concluding, we would like to thank Ambassador Sunanta Kangvalkulkij, for her active 
contributions to our work and her constructive engagement in the negotiations under this roof. W e 
also would like to commend her team in Geneva for the excellent cooperation between our 
delegations.  
4.237.   Turkey will continue its close and fruitful dialogue with Thailand in both bilateral and 
multilateral platforms.  
4.238.   We wish Thailand a successful completion  of its eighth Trade Policy Review.  
SWITZERLAND  
4.239.   I wish a warm welcome to Thailand's  delegation led by Minister Piyapramote to this TPR. A 
warm welcome also to Ambassador Sunanta. I am furthermore grateful to the discussant and to the 
Secretariat for their substantive contributions. Thailand is, indeed, an important WTO Member with 
which Switzerland has steadily strengthened its trade relations.  
4.240.   This Review is special in many aspects. Let me first congratulate Thailand for the inclusion 
of a dedicated secti on on SMEs in its report. SMEs are the backbone of most economies in the WTO 
and Thailand seems to be taking important steps to foster their development and participation in 
international trade. This aligns very nicely with the recommendations of the Infor mal working group 
on MSMEs, which have been finalized  at a technical level earlier this month. Thailand is establishing 
itself as a front -runner for this important debate.  
4.241.   Turning to the broader economic context, the challenges brought forward by the COVID -19 
pandemic stand out. We note that the balanced fiscal situation has allowed Thailand to swiftly adopt 
measures to provide relief after the onset of the crisis. We also acknowledge the continued expansion 
of the Thai economy in the last five years. Thail and has maintained average growth rates above 3% 
in the period under review and the unemployment rate is largely under control.  
4.242.   However, it appears that the slowdown of the global economy may have an impact on the 
official poverty rate. As the tourism and  hospitality sector will likely suffer from the pandemic, it may 
be important to monitor  carefully  this situation and adopt additional measures to ensure that the 
gains in the fight against poverty are not lost.  
4.243.   At the same time, long -term fiscal challenge s stemming from an aging population would 
indicate the need to keep expenditures under control and engage in a fiscal reform process.  
4.244.   With regard to trade policy, let me first highlight the important contribution of Thailand to 
the WTO, as a Member that is always constructive and engaged in many initiatives. Let me commend 
Thailand on the swift ratification and implementation of the comm itments under the TFA as well as 
the expanded ITA.  
4.245.   Furthermore, I would like to highlight the recent signature of the Regional Comprehensive 
Economic Partnership (RCEP), one of the biggest trade agreements the world has ever seen. We 
congratulate Thailand  and the other Members for this success and look forward to delving into the 
specifics of the agreement. Let me add our hopes that negotiations between Thailand and the EFTA 
states towards a FTA can soon be resumed. Such an agreement would be an important pillar to 
further develop the excellent bilateral relationship.  WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  4.246.   Switzerland had submitted a series of questions in writing and wishes to thank Thailand for 
the timely and extensive replies. In particular, we are thankful for the explanations with regard to  
the national strategy Thailand 4.0 and the planned Eastern Economic Corridor. We also appreciate 
the information provided on Thailand 's priorities in ASEAN, as well as the update on recent FTAs. 
We note the important difference between bound and applied r ates and would be interested in further 
explanations on this issue, especially where the applied rate may appear to be higher than the bound 
rate. We also note with concern the continued export restrictions on surgical masks, a good that is 
essential to fi ght the pandemic. Finally, we are thankful for the answers provided with regard to the 
regulations on the provision of financial services and look forward to studying them more closely.  
4.247.   To conclude, let me underscore once again the excellent cooperation S witzerland enjoys with 
the Thai authorities in many WTO work streams and our shared commitment to finding cooperative 
solutions to global problems. We hope that Thailand will be able to weather the crisis induced by the 
COVID -19 pandemic and take the neces sary reform steps to emerge stronger  from this crisis. We 
wish Thailand a successful continuation of the trade policy review.  
RUSSIAN  FEDERATION  
4.248.   I would like to extend a warm welcome to the delegation of Thailand. We appreciate the 
comprehensive reports by  the Government of Thailand and the WTO Secretariat. Our thanks also go 
to the discussant, H.E. Silvia Elena Alfaro Espinosa, for her thoughtful remarks. We hope that this 
TPR would contribute significantly to the transparency of the trade regime of Thaila nd. 
4.249.   We would like to congratulate the Government of Thailand for carrying out effective trade 
and investment policies that contributed to solid economic growth during the review period and 
demonstrated the country's outward -orientation and integration into  global value chains. At the 
same time, we understand that the economy of Thailand has been hit hard by the adverse impact 
of the COVID -19 pandemic and hope that the Government 's relief measures will prove effective at 
steering the country towards sustainable recovery. Thailand 's continued strong commitment to the 
multilateral trading system and active engagement in the WTO activities is especially important in 
this regard.  
4.250.   Over the years, the Russian Federation and Thailand have been developing bil ateral 
economic cooperation in many areas. During the review period, our trade turnover showed an 
upward trend, amounting to USD 2,6 billion in 2018, rising by 17% compared to the previous year. 
Between 2017 -2018 Russian exports rose by 47% to USD 753,5 mi llion, imports – by 8% to 
USD 1,9 billion.  
4.251.   Russia has submitted a number of written questions related to issues of merchandise trade 
and tariffs, investment regime, intellectual property, regional trade cooperation as well as others. 
We thank the delegatio n of Thailand for the comprehensive replies to our questions and look forward 
to maintaining a constructive dialogue.  
4.252.   In conclusion, we would like to thank you, Mr. Chairman, the delegation of Thailand, the 
Secretariat and the Discussant, for the impressiv e work done so far and wish Thailand a successful 
Trade Policy Review.  
MALAYSIA  
4.253.   We would like to extend a very warm welcome to Mr. Rachavitch Piyapramote, Her Excellency 
Sunanta Kangvalkulkijhis and the Thailand delegation. We also thank the Secretariat fo r their effort 
in preparing comprehensive review reports, and the discussant, Her Excellency Silvia Alfaro of Peru 
for her insightful comments.  
4.254.   Malaysia is pleased to take part in the eighth Trade Policy Review of Thailand. We believe 
that this Review is important to evaluate Thailand 's efforts in achieving its economic and trade policy 
objectives.  
4.255.   Malaysia and Thailand over the years enjoy a strong and robust economic relationship. On 
bilateral trade, Thailand is Malaysia 's 5th largest trading partner wit h the total trade stood at 
USD 11.79 billion for the period of January to August 2020.  WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  4.256.   Malaysia 's exports to Thailand amounted to USD 6.89 billion, mainly exports of electrical and 
electronic products (34.9%) followed by chemicals and chemical products (10 .5%); crude petroleum 
(7.2%) and machinery; equipment and parts (4.5%); and other manufactures (7.7%).  
4.257.   Meanwhile, Malaysia 's imports were recorded at USD 4.90 billion, in particular, electrical and 
electronic products (25.1%); followed by chemicals and ch emical products (11.1%); transport 
equipment (10.3%); natural rubber (9.1%) and processed food (6.7%).  
4.258.   On the investment front, Thailand is one of Malaysia 's main investment destinations. For the 
period of January to June 2020, Malaysia 's investments in Th ailand amounted to USD 5.16 million; 
while Thailand 's investments in Malaysia stood at USD 660 thousand.  
4.259.   At the multilateral front, we also would like to congratulate Thailand for its continuous active 
participation in different economic and trade fora and  her active participation in trade negotiations 
agenda at the bilateral and regional levels as well.  
4.260.   We acknowledge Thailand 's contribution to the conclusion of the Regional Comprehensive 
Economic Partnership (RCEP), and ASEAN -Hong Kong, China. We also wo uld like to thank Thailand 
for their constructive engagement during Malaysia 's APEC 2020 hosting year.  
4.261.   Malaysia also acknowledges the strides Thailand has made in business reforms and 
transparency in its procurement program. Thailand moved up 6 places to 2 1st out of 190 countries 
in the World Bank's 2020 Ease of Doing Business rankings and that is commendable.  
4.262.   Malaysia and Thailand have always enjoyed good diplomatic relations and share strong 
bilateral ties. Towards this, Malaysia hopes to maintain mutual social and economic cooperation for 
the betterment of business communities of both countries.  
4.263.   To conclude, we thank Thailand 's response to our questions, and we shall examine the 
responses with the highest of interest. We wish Thailand a productive Trade Policy Review.  
NEW  ZEALAND  
4.264.   New Zealand is fortunate to have a strong, long -standing, and broad -based trading 
relationship with the Kingdom of Thailand. In the year to December 2019, Thailand was 
New Zealand 's eighth largest two -way trading partner and a ke y market for New Zealand food and 
beverage. New Zealand highly values our trade and economic relationship with the Kingdom of 
Thailand.  
4.265.   New Zealand and Thailand have strong common interests in the promotion and protection 
of an open, inclusive, rules -based global trading system.  
4.266.   Since 2005, New Zealand and Thailand have benefited from our bilateral free trade 
agreement – the Thailand -New Zealand Closer Economic Partnership. In addition, New Zealand and 
Thailand are both members of the ASEAN -Australia -New Z ealand Free Trade Agreement. The 
implementation of these agreements has seen strong economic benefits for both countries – with 
two-way trade nearly doubling since 2005. We 've also recently both signed the Regional 
Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreem ent which will further deepen our trade relationship. 
New Zealand is committed to continue working with Thailand on the full implementation of our 
shared agreements and commitments.  
4.267.   New Zealand will host APEC in 2021, with Thailand hosting in 2022. As comm itted APEC 
members and fellow future hosts, New Zealand looks forward to continuing to work proactively with 
Thailand to advance common goals across the APEC agenda.  
4.268.   Subsequent to Thailand 's previous Trade Policy Review, New Zealand notes that Thailand 
passed the Public Procurement and Supplies Administration Act in August 2017. In this review, 
New Zealand raises questions regarding the ability of foreign suppliers to participate in direct 
cross-border government procurement processes in Thailan d. We welcome further information from 
Thailand on the steps that would need to be taken to enable this.  WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  4.269.   New Zealand has raised questions during this review with regards to Thailand 's agricultural 
policies. We note that aspects of Thailand 's agricultural b order measures remain unclear, creating 
undue uncertainty for trade. New Zealand encourages Thailand to ensure greater transparency and 
predictability within its trade policy in order to promote efficient and reliable trade. With respect to 
Thailand 's continued focus on improving agricultural productivity, New Zealand has been pleased to 
assist through the New Zealand -Thai Dairy Development Co -operation Programme. We note that 
the elimination and reduction of tariffs for the agricultural sector will a lso contribute to improving 
efficiency and productivity of agriculture in Thailand.  
4.270.   New Zealand also encourages Thailand to proactively address any non -tariff barriers that 
may arise on agricultural goods.  This includes ensuring that tariff quota administ ration is undertaken 
in a transparent and predictable manner. Through intensified reforms and proactive and well - 
communicated processes, Thailand can ensure commercially reliable import arrangements for 
agricultural trade.  
4.271.   New Zealand notes Thailand 's pro gress, including through the 2018 Royal Ordinance on 
Fisheries, in countering Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing. In this review, we are 
interested to learn more from Thailand regarding how it ensures that those involved in IUU fishing 
do no t benefit from domestic support to the fisheries sector.  
4.272.   In conclusion, New Zealand notes the commitment of Thailand to the multilateral trading 
system. We welcome the progress made by Thailand since the last Trade Policy Review and the 
opportunity to be involved in this process. New Zealand looks forward to continuing to work with 
Thailand to advance our many common interests across our trade and economic relationship.  
PHILIPPINES  
4.273.   The Philippines associates itself with the ASEAN Statement delivered by Mya nmar, 
highlighting the economic contribution of Thailand in the ASEAN and the WTO.  
4.274.   The Philippine delegation warmly welcomes and congratulates the delegation of Thailand led 
by Minister Rachavitch Piyapramote of the Permanent Mission of Thailand to the WTO  and WIPO in 
Bangkok and Ambassador Sunanta Kangvalkulkij of the Permanent Mission of Thailand to the WTO 
and WIPO in Geneva on their 8th Trade Policy Review. We also thank Ambassador Silvia Elena Alfaro 
Espinosa of Peru for her insightful comments as disc ussant, and the WTO Secretariat for a 
comprehensive report.  
4.275.   The Philippines and Thailand have a longstanding bilateral relation. While historical ties point 
to early commercial and cultural contacts between the Philippines and Thailand, it was only in 
June 1949 when official diplomatic relations between our two countries were established. We have 
concluded 25 key bilateral agreements in a span of seven decades, which have contributed to the 
strengthening of the links between our two nations. These bilatera l treaties have expanded our 
cooperation in the areas of trade, investment, culture, defence, tourism, and environment, among 
others.  
4.276.   Thailand is one of the major economic partners of the Philippines. It is the Philippines ' 7th 
largest foreign investment partner and 7th major trading partner with total bilateral trade valued at 
USD 9.95 Billion in 2019. It is the Philippines ' 7th top export market and 5th biggest import supplier.  
4.277.   Thailand is the seventh largest economy in Asia, and the second largest in A SEAN. As fellow 
founding Members of ASEAN in 1967, the Philippines values its strong partnership with Thailand to 
pursue economic integration within the region and expand trade and investment relations with other 
economic partners through regional trade ag reements. Among these is the recently signed Regional 
Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement, which involves the ASEAN Members and 5 other 
trading partners in the Asia Pacific region.  
4.278.   Thailand 's new development policy, Thailand 4.0, underpins the co untry 's National Strategy 
to drive economic growth through innovation. We acknowledge its goal to make its economy more 
inclusive and sustainable, which includes priorities for MSME development, digital economy and 
bio-circular -green economy. In particular , we recognize the initiatives that were undertaken by the 
Thai government to promote MSME integration in the global value chains.   WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  4.279.   Thailand has been actively engaged in various WTO work, including several initiatives such 
as the WTO reform, fisheries subs idies, electronic commerce, and services domestic regulation. We, 
thus, likewise encourage and welcome Thailand 's participation in the Informal Working Group on 
MSMEs, particularly in support of the MSME package of recommendations and declarations to suppo rt 
MSMEs participation in international trade.  
4.280.   Further, we note the reported changes in Thailand 's customs regime and its adoption of a 
new Customs Act to simplify customs procedures and improve transparency. We do, however, 
believe that Thailand should e nd without delay its reward system for whistle blowers, especially 
those who are organic in the bureaucracy because this will potentially raise credibility and integrity 
issues in the conduct of trade policy and governance. We encourage Thailand to hold st eady with its 
commitment to WTO rules and principles and respect for an open, fair, transparent, non -
discriminatory and rules -based multilateral trading system.  
4.281.   The Philippines has submitted some advance written questions on the TPR reports and we 
thank th e delegation of the Thailand for their prompt replies. We have shared this with our colleagues 
in Capital for their consideration.  
4.282.   In closing, the Philippines looks forward to further enhancing the mutually beneficial 
economic relations with Thailand in t he bilateral, regional, and multilateral fora.  
ECUADOR  
4.283.   The Ecuadorian delegation welcomes the Thai delegation, headed by Mr. Rachavitch 
Piyaparamote, Minister of the Permanent Mission of Thailand to the WTO and WIPO, based in 
Bangkok. I would also like to join my voice to the thanks expressed by those who spoke before me 
regarding the quality of the reports prepared by both the Secretariat and the Government of 
Thailand.   
4.284.   I would also like to thank the discussant, Ambassador Silvia Alfaro, for her comments and 
observations.  
4.285.   Ecuador is looking forward to this eighth Trade Policy Review. We hope that Thailand will be 
able to return to the rate of growth it recorded up to 2019 and overcome the material and 
human  consequences of the COVID -19 pandemic. In that r egard, the implementation of the 
20-year National Strategy and the Twelfth National Economic and Social Development Plan (NESDP) 
2017-2021 is important, as are the effects it may have in terms of reducing inequalities.  
4.286.   The important role played by ASEAN m ember countries as destinations for Thai exports 
deserves particular attention, as it is a regional economic integration mechanism that helps Thailand 
to diversify further its destination markets.  
4.287.   The Thai government's digital strategy is a major and wort hwhile undertaking. Thailand has 
made good progress in the structural transformation of its economy. In the same vein, Ecuador is 
looking with interest at the strategy for supporting MSMEs and strengthening the intellectual 
property system.  
4.288.   The informatio n presented on the fisheries sector aroused a great deal of interest in Ecuador, 
which was the subject of many of the questions submitted as part of this Trade Policy Review. I 
thank Thailand for the answers to our questions.  
4.289.   We also take this opportunity  to thank Thailand for its support in agreeing the technical 
criterion on the request to analyse the benefit of removing the infectious hypodermal and 
haematopoietic necrosis virus (IHHNV) from the list of crustacean diseases of the World Organisation 
for Animal Health (OIE). Thailand's support and cooperation contributes to efforts to strengthen the 
applicability of the SPS Agreement in this area.  
4.290.   Trade between Ecuador and Thailand is characterised by Ecuadorian exports of shrimp and 
imports from Thailand of industrialised goods, such as vehicles and machinery. Ecuador is keen to 
diversify its products and destination markets and sees Thailand as a potential partner with which it 
hopes to expand trade and cooperation links.  WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  4.291.   Ecuador concurs with Thailand on the importance that should be accorded to the multilateral 
trading system; and wishes it success in concluding its eighth Trade Policy Review.  
MEXICO 
4.292.   Mexico extends a warm welcome to the delegation of Thailand, headed by Minister 
Rachavitch Piy apramote. I would also like to thank Ambassador Silvia Elena Alfaro Espinosa for her 
timely analysis and the WTO Secretariat for the hard work that went into preparing its report.  
4.293.   During the period under review, Thailand's economy continued to perform wel l and grow, 
but as expected, it has not been immune to the impacts of the trade tensions that dominated the 
2019 outlook and the COVID -19 shock we have all experienced in 2020. According to estimates, the 
Thai economy is set to shrink by 8.1% this year, ma inly as a result of the decline in external and 
domestic demand, the disruption of supply chains and the restrictions imposed to mitigate the effects 
of the pandemic that have severely affected several sectors, including tourism, which is a major 
contribut or to GDP. Despite the uncertainty, projections indicate a possible recovery in 2021.  
4.294.   We are pleased to note that the macroeconomic stability and prudent policies pursued by 
the Thai government have allowed it to be flexible when adopting fiscal and monet ary policies to 
deal with the crisis caused by the pandemic. However, looking ahead, Thailand should foster reforms 
that will enable it to address its structural problems through greater public and private investment, 
and policies to increase innovation, p roductivity and competitiveness.   
4.295.   Thailand's outward -looking approach is evident, with trade in goods and services accounting 
for over 120% of GDP for much of the period under review. Its openness and integration into 
international trade has been and will continue to be a key component in its development and growth. 
However, concerns remain regarding its complicated tariff structure, the increase in average tariffs, 
the exclusion of 23.7% of tariff lines from binding commitments, the monitoring and control of prices 
of goods and services, and export restrictions on some products.  
4.296.   Although the contribution of the Thai agricultural sector to GDP has declined since the 
previous review, it still plays an important role in the economy and employment. Thailand is  a net 
exporter of agricultural products and is the world's leading or second largest producer of several of 
these  products, but its agricultural sector is highly protected with special agricultural safeguards, 
non-ad valorem  tariffs, low tariff quota fill  rates and unknown domestic support levels owing to the 
lack of notifications in the years covered by the review period. We urge Thailand to improve its 
openness in this sector and its compliance with its notification obligations.   
4.297.   On trade facilitation, we congratulate Thailand on the improvements made to its customs 
regime, which has helped to simplify its procedures and improve transparency. While recognizing 
the efforts to implement 97.1% of its commitments under the AFC, we urge  them to continue their 
efforts to achieve full implementation of the AFC which they ratified in 2015. We are convinced that 
progress in their e -customs system will help to speed up and simplify procedures, which would 
enable them to respond to the challen ges posed by the new "automated" reality that COVID -19 has 
made even more evident.  
4.298.   We note the importance of the tourism sector and the profound impact the pandemic has 
had on income derived from this activity. Given the uncertainty surrounding ongoing re strictive 
measures in the context of COVID -19, we note the OECD recommendation to promote the further 
development of information technology and other professional services in order to boost economic 
resilience.  
4.299.   While we are pleased to note that during the  period under review Thailand has updated 
regulations in some sectors such as the financial sector, the telecommunications sector and the air 
transport sector, the expansion of the service sector in general has been hampered by strict 
regulations. Further liberalization would help Thailand to improve services' competitiveness and 
productivity, which would also have a positive impact on the manufacturing sector. Similarly, 
encouraging investment by removing remaining restrictions on foreign participation wou ld 
significantly help the expansion of the services sector, which would stimulate the economy, help to 
create jobs and benefit Thai consumers.   WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  4.300.   Lastly, while Thailand is facing considerable short -term challenges, we are confident that 
efforts to continue i ts integration into world trade and its focus on structural reforms will help it to 
pursue its path towards sustained growth.   
4.301.   It only remains for me to thank the Thai delegation for their commitment to the multilateral 
trading system and for the replies t o the questions on competition that our delegation has submitted 
in writing, and to wish them a successful Trade Policy Review.  
VIET  NAM 
4.302.   On behalf of the Viet Nam 's delegation, I wish to extend our warmest welcome to the 
distinguished delegation of Thailan d led by Mr. Rachavitch Piyapramote, Minister, Permanent Mission 
of Thailand to the WTO and WIPO (Bangkok Office) to the Thailand 's 8th Trade Policy Review.  
4.303.   I would like to thank the Government of Thailand and the WTO Secretariat for the preparation 
of co mprehensive reports for this review, especially under the circumstances of the COVID -19 
pandemic.  
4.304.   My thanks also go to the discussant H.E. Ms Silvia Elena Alfaro Espinosa , Ambassador, 
Permanent Representative of Peru, for her insightful observations and i ntroduction.  
4.305.   Viet Nam associates itself with the ASEAN statement delivered by Myanmar and would like 
to share three points.  
4.306.   Viet Nam shares the same view with Thailand that further enhanced trade and investment 
liberalisation is among the best pathways to prosperity and welcome Thailand 's strong commitment 
to the multilateral trading system in the time of uncertainties.  
4.307.   We are happy to note that Thailand 's economy continued to grow averaging 3.4% annually 
during the review period despite increasing global uncertainties and trade tensions.  
4.308.   For our bilateral trade relations, Viet Nam is pleased to be having been Thailand 's largest 
trading partner within the ASEAN bloc in recent years. In the period of 2015 -2019, our bilateral 
trade turnover increased from USD  11.5 billion to USD 16.9 billion, with an average growth rate of 
8.1% per year.  
4.309.   Viet Nam 's major export items to Thailand are telephone all types and components, 
computers and electronic products and components, iron and steel, and transportation vehicle s and 
parts.  
4.310.   The two -way trade is targeted to reach USD 25 billion in 2025. In terms of investment, 
Thailand 's FDI to Viet Nam ranks 9th in Viet Nam and reached USD 12.4 billion as of 
September  2020.  
4.311.   With the implementation of our tariff commitments of un der the WTO and a number of FTAs, 
non-tariff measures are important issues that we need to address properly in order to promote trade 
and strengthen global as well as regional supply chains.  
4.312.   In this regard, we would appreciate the transparency improvement by Thailand with respect 
to the regulations on the areas that affect cross border trade such as: import licensing procedures, 
quality control, TBT and SPS measures, domestic circulation of certain specific goods, etc.  
4.313.   From regional co -operation perspective , we would like to thank Thailand for a closed co -
operation with Viet Nam and other ASEAN Member States as well as the 5 partner -countries in 
concluding the negotiations and signing of the RCEP Agreement on 15 November 2020, which is a 
strong message on ou r region 's support to the rule -based multilateral trading system.  
4.314.   We hope that the implementation of this Agreement will facilitate the development of the 
regional supply chains as well as contribute to the economic recovery from the Covid -19 pandemic 's 
impacts.  WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  4.315.   On the multilateral front, we commend Thailand is as a strong supporter of the multilateral 
trading system and an active participant in the WTO negotiations, actively participating in the WTO 
negotiations and in various initiatives to s trengthen the WTO.  
4.316.   In conclusion, I would like to take this opportunity to thank and commend Ambassador 
Sunanta Kangvalkulkij and her able team for the excellent preparation for this Review, as well as 
their constructive contribution and engagement in the  WTO activities. We wish Thailand a successful 
Trade Policy Review.  
COSTA  RICA 
4.317.   Costa Rica would like to echo the words of welcome extended to the delegation of Thailand 
and thank them for the report presented this morning. We would also like to thank Ambas sador 
Alfaro of Peru for her assessment as discussant of this review.  
4.318.   My delegation did not submit any questions related to this review. However, I would like to 
take this opportunity to highlight, very briefly, a few points.  
4.319.   First, Costa Rica sees Thail and as a Member committed to the rules -based multilateral 
trading system of the WTO. In particular, we welcome the leading role played by Thailand and by 
Ambassador Sunanta Kangvalkukij as Chair of the Dispute Settlement Body in 2018 and of the 
General Cou ncil in 2019, which demonstrates Thailand's commitment to this Organization and its 
willingness to contribute to its functioning. Furthermore, we acknowledge Thailand's efforts in 
seeking solutions to resolve the situation in the Appellate Body, as a way o f preserving a two -tier 
dispute settlement system, as well as its active participation in the discussions on WTO reform in 
various fields.  
4.320.   Like Costa Rica, Thailand is part of the Friends of the System Group and the Cairns Group 
and participates in the jo int initiative on e -commerce. We also welcome Thailand's recent 
involvement in the initiative on domestic regulation disciplines for services.  
4.321.   Thailand, like a majority of WTO Members, has been affected by the global crisis caused by 
the COVID -19 epidemic , particularly as a result of the supply chain disruptions that impacted the 
automotive sector and the serious consequences it has had on the tourism sector. Although the Thai 
economy entered into recession as early as 2019, Thailand is building on solid f oundations for a 
successful recovery, characterized by macroeconomic stability resulting from prudent fiscal and 
monetary policies.   
4.322.   Owing to the greater weight of trade in goods and services in Thailand's GDP, international 
trade will remain a key instrum ent for recovery. In this regard, we welcome the recent signing of 
the RCEP Agreement, to which Thailand is a party, as a member of ASEAN, and we take this 
opportunity to congratulate all the participating countries on this historic achievement which we ar e 
sure will contribute to maintaining the region's momentum and will be a very important tool on the 
road to recovery and growth in a post -COVID scenario. It would be interesting to know what impact 
implementation of this agreement is expected to have on t he Thai economy.  
4.323.   Lastly, with respect to its trade policies, we note that the Secretariat's report identifies 
specific delays in the submission of notifications on domestic agricultural support, and we urge 
Thailand to update this information. In addition,  we invite Thailand to evaluate its current tariff 
structure, in particular the existence of non -ad valorem  duties on about 8% of its tariff lines, which 
makes it more complex and less predictable.   
4.324.   Finally, I wish to thank the Secretariat for the preparat ions for this Review and reiterate my 
best wishes to the Thai delegation.  
LAO PDR 
4.325.   At the outset, Lao PDR would like to associate itself with the statement made by Myanmar 
on behalf of ASEAN.  WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  4.326.   On behalf of the Lao PDR delegation, I would like to sincere cong ratulate the eighth Trade 
Policy Review of the Kingdom of Thailand and warmly welcome the official delegation of Thailand. 
We believe that this would contribute significantly to the trade policy review of Thailand.  
4.327.   Thailand is one of the most important and  closest economic partners of the Lao PDR. The 
bilateral trade volume between two countries last year amounted to USD 5.51 billion. Thailand is 
also the second largest foreign investor; there are many private -sector companies have been 
investing and operat ing in Lao PDR, especially in the energy, mining and industrial sectors. In 2019, 
total value of Thai's FDI into Lao PDR accounted of USD 2004 million. We are confident that both 
countries will continue to further enhance bilateral trade and increase the i nvestment flows.  
4.328.   Lao PDR greatly appreciates the various efforts of Thailand has put into keeping its market 
open and competitive, including the improvement of its customs regime and the implementation of 
97.1% of its commitments under the WTO Trade Facili tation Agreement which removed trade 
obstacles and a great improvement in the area of trade facilitation.  
4.329.   Thailand takes its WTO obligations exceptionally; we commend Thailand for being a 
constructive member in the WTO as well as the continuation to active ly participate in regional 
economic forums as a mean to work with partners to advance multilateral trading system.  
4.330.   Finally, we would like to conclude by expressing our sincere congratulation to the Permanent 
Representative of Thailand, Ambassador Sunanta K angvalkulkij and her team for the hard work and 
wish Thailand every success in its Trade Policy Review.  
SRI LANKA  
4.331.   My delegation welcomes the delegation of Thailand joining this meeting remotely due to the 
prevailing global health situation. We thank Her Ex cellency the Ambassador of Peru, the discussant, 
for her statement  and the WTO Secretariat and Government of Thailand for their comprehensive 
reports made available to the delegations in advance of this meeting.  
4.332.   My delegation notes with interest Thailand 's continued economic advancements with an 
average GDP growth of 3.4% during the period under review. It is noteworthy the Government 's 
economic stimulus measures that warrant a healthy inflation level, relatively low levels of public 
debt, a sizable current account surplus, substantial foreign exchange reserves, and most importantly 
upgrading the country as an upper -middle -income group of countries in 2019.  
4.333.   The ratio of Thailand 's trade to GDP reflects its outward -orientation and integration into 
global value chains. However, in contrary there is a complex tariff structure in Thailand with a 
significant level of water between bound tari ff and applied tariff. The simple average bound tariff is 
27.9% while the average applied tariff stood at 10.2% in 2019. The gap is relatively low for 
agricultural products compared to non -agricultural products. It is due to high applied tariff on 
agricult ural products with an average of 32.7%, which warrants more trade protection for agriculture 
than rest of the economic sectors.  
4.334.   The prevalence of tariff quotas for over 125 tariff lines, including Sri Lanka 's export interest 
agricultural commodities, such  as, tea, coffee and coconut, is a serious concern for Sri Lanka. As 
noticed by many, these quotas mostly under filled. We are encouraged by the responses provided 
by Thailand that in order to enhance the efficiency of quota allocation and consistence with  current 
trade situation, its authorities (Department of Foreign Trade, Ministry of Commerce) has currently 
revised the regulations, procedures and conditions of quotas allocation for imported agricultural 
products and we evaluate the new situation careful ly. In addition, some imports are subject to 
application of surcharges, licensing requirements as well as prohibitions.  
4.335.   On the bilateral front, Buddhism is prominent in both Thailand and Sri Lanka. Two friendly 
nations work closely to promote religious to urism as well as cultural cooperation. Further, various 
Thai international hotel brands have already invested and established themselves in Sri Lanka. Both 
Countries have also discussed possible maritime connectivity between Colombo and the Thai 
province o f Rayong, connecting the Andaman Sea in the Indian Ocean under the Bay of Bengal 
Initiative for Multi -Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation transportation master plan.  WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  4.336.   On trade, Thailand is the 25th export destination for Sri Lankan merchandises and the 8th 
largest source of supply of imports for Sri Lanka. Trade balance is continued to be in favour of 
Thailand, since Sri Lanka 's exports are concentrated on handful of items which do not attract high 
values such as fish, apparel and textiles, miscellan eous edible preparations, and tea. An exceptional 
growth indicates in Sri Lanka 's exports to Thailand in 2019, due to export of precious stones which 
individually account for 56% of Sri Lanka 's exports to Thailand in 2019. Thailand 's exports to 
Sri Lanka a re nearly 10 times or higher than that of Sri Lanka in each year, a slight drop is noticed 
in 2019 though.  
4.337.   Thailand and Sri Lanka have cooperation on investment and taxation since 1988, when two 
countries signed double taxation avoidance agreement. In 1996, a bilateral investment treaty 
between the two countries came into effect. Thailand ranked at 20th in terms of FDI origins to 
Sri Lanka in 2019. The report also indicates that Thailand has become a net capital exporter during 
the past ye ars, due to its significant increase in investment outflows.   
4.338.   A memorandum of understanding on Strategic Economic Partnership signed in 2018 between 
the two countries added a momentum to the efforts in negotiating a bilateral FTA between two 
countries. Acc ordingly, Thailand and Sri Lanka started negotiations for a bilateral Free Trade 
Agreement in 2018 for encompassing not only trade in goods, but investment and trade in services 
are also top priorities in FTA negotiations. Three friendly rounds of negotiat ions were held so far 
during 2018/2019 period and now it is in a temporary standstill waiting to commence the 
negotiations at any given time.  
4.339.   In conclusion , my delegation appreciates Thailand 's highly valued contribution to the 
multilateral trading system  and its active engagement in the negotiations. The dynamic role played 
by Ambassador Sunanta and her team in Geneva in proactively engaging in ongoing activities of 
WTO, is highly commendable. We sincerely wish  the Thai delegation a successful deliberatio n on its 
8th Trade Policy Review.  
CAMBODIA  
4.340.   I join others in expressing  our warmest welcome  to the delegation of Thailand led by 
Mr. Rachavitch Piyapramote Minister of the Permanent Mission of Thailand to the WTO and WIPO. 
Our thanks also go to Ambassador S ilvia Alfaro of Peru for her insightful assessment reflecting the 
current trade policies and economic performance of Thailand. We also thank the Trade Policy Review 
Division and Thailand for their reports available for this Review.  
4.341.   Cambodia associates itse lf with the statement made Myanmar on behalf of ASEAN.  
4.342.   We acknowledge all efforts and active role of Thailand in the ASEAN region especially during 
its ASEAN chairmanship last year.  
4.343.   We wish to congratulate Thailand for maintaining its remarkable economic performance since 
its last review and applaud Thailand for preserving its position as the seventh  largest economy in 
Asia, and the second largest in ASEAN.  
4.344.   Cambodia and Thailand have long historical, cultural and social relations since the 13th 
century. Th e diplomatic relations between the modern states were established in 1950. Since then, 
both sides commit to build prominent progresses for peace and trade development as good 
neighbouring countries.  
4.345.   Currently, Thailand is a main trading partner for Cambod ia. We have maintained excellent 
relations, as reflected by regular high -level visits and meetings. The relationship between the 
Governments of the two countries has strengthened especially for trade development. We agreed to 
promote the bilateral trade an d other areas including the rail -line after they were disconnected in 
the 1960s.  
4.346.   In 2019, trade between the two countries was around USD 9.4 billion, increased by 12% 
compared to 2015 which was about USD 5 billion. Cambodia 's exports to Thailand were value d 
around USD 2.3 billion and the imports were approximately USD 7.1 billion.  WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  4.347.   According the Secretariat report, the inflow of FDI from Cambodia has increased from 
USD 4.3 million to USD 11.4 million while the outflow of FDI to Cambodia has increased from 
USD 32.1 million to around USD 81 million between 2015 and 2019. We note that the increases may 
partly contribute from the good implementation of the bilateral investment treaty and double 
taxation agreements of both countries that has interred into force si nce 1997.  
4.348.   I would like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation to Thailand for their good 
cooperation and facilitation our imports and exports through its policies including trade liberalization 
for a purpose of trade benefit and development for all. Both sides are friendly working on some 
measures and trade barriers to boost our imports and exports because most of our agricultural 
products are similar. The agricultural products that Cambodia exports to Thailand such as rice, corn, 
soybean, ca ssava, cashew nuts and mangoes. Cambodia mainly imports from Thailand such as 
machinery, electronic equipment, oil, construction materials, cosmetics and home equipment.  
4.349.   We thank and appreciate the delegation of Thailand in Geneva led by ambassador Sunant a, 
for the friendship and good cooperation. We commend Thailand for putting its efforts and active 
participation in building -up rule -based multilateral trading system. I particularly appreciate Thailand 
for the generous support  to Cambodia in the negotiations under WTO framework.  
4.350.   Finally, we commit to working closely with Thailand to strengthen the cooperation in related 
fields including trade, investment, IP and works of the WTO.  
4.351.   I wish Thailand a successful 8th Trade Policy Revi ew. 
AFGHANISTAN  
4.352.   Afghanistan extends its gratitude to you and the Secretariat for convening this meeting and 
for preparing the comprehensive report. I would like to thank our discussant , Ambassador Silvia 
Alfaro Espinosa of Peru, for her insightful remarks and welcome Thailand 's capital and Geneva -based 
delegates to the meeting, led by H.E. Mr. Rachavitch Piyapramote , Minister Permanent 
Representative of Thailand to the WTO and the World Intellectual in Bangkok.  
4.353.   In particular, we wish to extend our congratu lations to Thailand for its 8th Trade Policy 
Review, especially, to Her Excellency Ambassador Sunanta Kangvalkulkij, Permanent Representative 
of Thailand to the WTO and WIPO, and her competent team for their contribution and constant good 
work here in Gene va. 
4.354.   My delegation commends Thailand for presenting its comprehensive trade policy report, and 
Thailand 's National Policies including the 20 -year National Strategy 2018 -2037 and the Twelfth 
National Economic and Social Development Plan 2017 -2021, and the in itiation of the Eastern 
Economic Corridor and the Eastern Special Development Zone Act to enhance Thailand 's 
competitiveness. The launch of Transport and Development Plan, Action Plan on Industrial 
Development, the efforts to ease the doing business, relax ation of foreign exchange regulations, and 
repatriation of export proceeds are all positive steps. We commend Thailand 's commitment to trade 
liberalization under the multilateral trading system centered on WTO.  
4.355.   Meanwhile, I would also like to take this opp ortunity to thank Ambassador Sunanta, 
Permanent Representative of Thailand to the WTO and the WIPO for successfully chairing the 
Disputes Settlement Body (DSB) in 2018 and the General Council in 2019, and for her efforts that 
have resulted in the smooth fu nctioning of the WTO during a challenging time.  
4.356.   Considering the recent challenges facing the multilateral trading system, Afghanistan counts 
on Thailand 's role among others in preserving an open, rules -based multilateral trading system with 
the WTO at its core. 
4.357.   I conclude my statement by wishing Thailand 's delegation a very successful and productive 
Trade Policy Review.  
  WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  JAMAICA  
4.358.   Jamaica warmly welcomes the Head of delegation, Mr. Rachavitch Piyapramote, along with 
the other members of the delegation to thi s eighth Trade Policy Review of Thailand. We congratulate 
Thailand for its hard work and the comprehensive report presented here today. Also, I wish to 
acknowledge Ambassador Sunanta and the staff of the Thai Mission to the WTO.  
4.359.   Thanks also to the Secretariat for their efforts, as well as to our discussant Ambassador 
Alfaro Espinosa of Peru for her very insightful contributions to this process. In addition, thank you 
Chair for your effective guidance of this meeting.  
4.360.   As an upper middle -income econom y and one of the leading economies in Asia, Thailand is 
very integrated in global trade and value chains and is an important player. Thailand 's active use of 
Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) towards deepening ties with key partners within ASEAN and 
externa lly is positively noted. Jamaica further commends Thailand for its continued commitment to 
the multilateral trading system and its active engagement in work of WTO bodies. The strides made 
by Thailand in terms of improving its trade and business facilitati on measures, including through the 
implementation of the Trade Facilitation Agreement; domestic customs procedures, intellectual 
property as well as notifications in relation to SPS and TBT measures are welcomed and should be 
further strengthened.  
4.361.   In terms  of trade policies and practices, Thailand should also be commended for a range 
support policies and measures which are aligned with its trade and economic growth objectives. Two 
such are its 20 -Year National Strategy (2018 -2037) which is aimed at transfor ming the country into 
a digital economy, and the Twelfth National Economic and Social Development Plan (NESDP) 
2017-2021 with priority focus on: advancing infrastructure and logistics; developing science, 
technology, research and innovation; developing reg ional, urban and economic zones; and 
strengthening international cooperation and development.  
4.362.   Since its last Trade Policy Review, Thailand has continued to pursue strong macro -economic 
fundamentals and an appropriate policy mix that has ensured financial g rowth and stability, as well 
as the resilience of its outward -looking economy. These policies resulted in subdued inflation, 
relatively low levels of public debt, a sizable current account surplus, substantial foreign exchange 
reserves, and an average annu al growth rate of 3.4% between 2015 and 2019. The country 's 
economy has however been adversely affected by the COVID -19 pandemic which has exacerbated 
the contraction of its merchandise exports, including in the automobile sector, which is one of 
Thailand' s main industries. Moreover, there has been a significant fall out in the services sector, led 
by tourism, which has also suffered a deep contraction due to a mix of domestic and international 
travel restrictions. It is anticipated that these will eventual ly be overcome, and the economy will 
rebound. Nevertheless, Thailand is encouraged to increase public and private investment, enhance 
innovation and the liberalization of trade and investment, particularly in the services sector to further 
bolster economic  growth and international competitiveness.  
4.363.   Jamaica and Thailand have shared a strong history of friendship and cooperation over the 
years at the bilateral and multilateral levels, including in the field of trade, where there is a 
substantial trade surplus  in favour of Thailand. In 2019, for example, Jamaica 's total imports from 
Thailand were valued at USD 81,329,792. Our main imports from Thailand include motor vehicles, 
fish products, coconut milk, juices and nuts. On the other hand, Jamaica 's exports to Thailand 
comprise mainly of rum and to a lesser extent, coffee. Jamaica looks forward to increased 
opportunities for strengthening its bilateral trade and investment ties with Thailand in the following 
priority areas namely the Logistics Hub Initiative, In formation and Communications Technology 
(ICT), Tourism and Agro -processing.  
4.364.   In closing, Jamaica congratulates the delegation of Thailand and we extend to them our best 
wishes for a successful Review.  
KINGDOM  OF SAUDI  ARABIA  
4.365.   The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is v ery pleased to take part in the eighth Trade Policy Review 
of Thailand and wishes to extend a very warm welcome to the delegation of Thailand headed by 
Mr. Rachavitch Piyapramote Minister, Permanent Mission of Thailand to the WTO and WIPO.  WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  4.366.   I would like to take this opportunity to thank Thailand and the Secretariat of the WTO for 
their detailed and comprehensive Trade Policy Review Reports. I also thank the discussant 
H.E. Ambassador Silvia Elena Alfaro Espinosa from Peru for her insightful and perceptive co mments.  
4.367.   The period of Thailand 's trade policy review has been marked by significant adversities such 
as, global economic slowdown, which resulted in a contraction in the Thai exports, private investment 
and consumption. The Covid -19 crisis disrupted business activity, weighed on consumption and 
supply chain in different products, and reduced overseas demand for Thailand tourism sector and 
exports in general. Thailand is to be commended for its large -scale monetary stimulus to help 
protecting  businesses and consumers facing the impact of COVID -19 and to support the economic 
activity.  
4.368.   Thailand has maintained macro -financial stability, supported by prudent fiscal and monetary 
policies. Between 2015 and 2019, the economy grew at an annual average  rate of 3.4% in real 
terms,  
4.369.   We praise Thailand for its new National Strategy (2018 -2037), underpinned by its 
development policy which aims at transforming the country into a value -added, innovative, and 
knowledge -based economy. We also welcome the reform s undertaken by the Thai Government, 
particularly in the areas of customs regime, competition policy, government procurement, IP, and 
transportation.   
4.370.   The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Thailand are prominent trading partners. Trade exchange 
between the two c ountries surpassed USD 7.4 billion in 2019. This encouraging trade volume 
between the two countries makes Thailand ranking 15th among the Kingdom 's trading partners.   
4.371.   Over the period of review, Thailand has continued to play a central role in the reinforce ment 
of the multilateral trading system and has been active in bilateral and plurilateral trade negotiations.  
4.372.   To conclude, I would like to wish the entire delegation of Thailand a very successful Trade 
Policy Review.  
BANGLADESH  
4.373.   The delegation of Bangladesh  congratulates the delegation of Thailand both in Geneva and 
Bangkok for its 8th Trade Policy Review. Bangladesh delegation also convey s its thanks to the 
Secretariat for the comprehensive report and to H.E Ambassador Mrs. Silvia Elena Alfaro Espinosa 
of Peru for  her insightful discussion.  
4.374.   Bangladesh and Thailand are friendly countries and this friendship is trusted and tested. The 
two countries established diplomatic relationship on 5 October 1972. The two countries signed the 
Agreement on the Establishme nt of the Joint Commission on Cooperation on 29 January 1982 to 
further strengthen and promote the close cooperation. Bangladesh and Thailand also signed a trade 
agreement on 22 August 1997 and formed joint chambers of commerce to promote bilateral trade. 
According to the WTO Bali Ministerial declaration, Thailand has been providing duty free market 
access to 6998 products in favour of Bangladesh under the LDC preferential tariff treatment since 
April 2005. Still , some of our important exportable goods like  jute, jute yarn, sacks and bags, 
t-shirts, sweaters, trousers, shorts, etc. are not included in the list.  
4.375.   The private sectors of the two countries are also working together to materialize 
complementarities between the two economies. These complementariti es are likely to be symbiotic, 
combining Bangladesh 's thirst for investment and Thailand 's keenness to expand its market. 
Bangladesh and Thailand have been maintaining a good bilateral trade relation. Bangladesh exported 
goods worth USD 35.46 million in 20 19-2020 and imported goods worth USD 801.28 million. Since 
Bangladeshi export to Thailand is significantly less than the import, Bangladesh lags behind in 
balance of trade, though trade volume has been increasing steadily.  
4.376.   Bangladesh and Thailand closely c ooperate in different regional forums such as BISMTEC, 
ACD (Asia Cooperation Dialogue), ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), Asia –Europe Meeting (ASEM) and 
multilateral forums including UN, WTO and ITU. Bangladesh will, therefore, continue to promote 
partnership wi th Thailand to further enhance opportunities, and to work together to address WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  economic and security challenges in the years to come. Bangladesh's bilateral relations with Thailand 
are natural and close. We do believe that this strong bond of friendship and  mutual cooperation will 
continue to grow in depth and dimension in the days ahead of this two BIMSTEC nations.  
4.377.   Bangladesh has the potential to become an important investment destination for Thai 
investors, especially in the textile, agro -processing, leat her, energy and tourism sectors. Thai 
investors can reap benefits by utilizing the low infrastructure cost, competitive labor and natural gas 
of Bangladesh. Thailand is benefiting greatly as a large number of Bangladeshis travel to Thailand 
for various pur poses, particularly trade, health, education and tourism.  
4.378.   Bangladesh wants to express its gratitude to its friendly partner Thailand. In 2019, total Thai 
FDI was USD 33.10 million and the total FDI stock till December 2019 from Thailand was 
USD 275.41  million. The Bangladesh delegation wishes  a fruitful Trade Policy Review to its friendly  
country Thailand and requests  to include jute, jute yarn, sacks and bags, t -shirts, sweaters, trousers, 
and shorts in preferential tariff scheme.  
BRUNEI  DARUSSALAM  
4.379.   Brunei Darussalam associates itself with the statement delivered by Myanmar on behalf of 
ASEAN and would like to add a few words in our national capacity.  
4.380.   First, let me give a warm welcome to the delegation from Thailand led by Mr. Rachavitch 
Piyapramote, who is  appearing here virtually, for the introduction given.  
4.381.   Thank you also to Her Excellency Ambassador Silvia Elena Alfaro Espinosa of Peru for the 
extensive overview of the reports under consideration.  
4.382.   Since their last review in 2016 Thailand has undergone several changes, from the passing 
of a beloved monarch in 2016, to the enactment of a new Constitution in 2017, and the holding of 
a general election in 2019.  
4.383.   During this period, the Thai Government laid out a long -term vision to move from a midd le 
income to a high -income country by 2036, called the 20 -Year National Strategy (2018 -2037). This 
is based on a transformation into a digital economy, and links closely to the economic policies it has 
implemented, namely "Thailand 4.0".  
4.384.   We commend this p rogressive and timely strategy which targets the utilization of digital 
technology to deal with emerging issues, such as, smart cities, and the digitalization of the public 
sector and transport and logistics system, and can already be seen in the implement ation of policies 
in Intellectual Property and Small and Medium Enterprises among others.  
4.385.   Having a similar long -term vision ourselves, this is perhaps another area that 
Brunei  Darussalam and Thailand can work closely together in, in areas of synergy.  
4.386.   Bilaterally, Brunei Darussalam and Thailand already have close ties from the highest level of 
our people -to-people linkages to cooperation in agriculture, energy, education, halal, labour, and 
taxation. Thailand is the main provider for Brunei 's rice stock and also exports cement, ceramics, 
rubber products, paper and pulp to us; whilst they import iron and steel from Brunei.  
4.387.   Internationally, Thailand is well known for being an active player in the WTO. Ambassador 
Sunanta, the Permanent Represen tative of Thailand to the WTO, has been the Chair of the Dispute 
Settlement Body in 2018 and of the General Council in 2019. Her team is also active in various 
negotiations currently ongoing in these halls from Fisheries subsidies, E -Commerce, and Agricult ure 
among other things.  
4.388.   Recently during ASEAN Chairmanship in 2019, Thailand saw the signing of various key 
regional agreements and the finalization of the text -based Regional Comprehensive Economic 
Partnership Agreement (RCEP) which was also just signed on 15 November. Also, notably, the 
ASEAN –Hong Kong, China Free Trade Agreement (AHKFTA) entered into force on 11 June 2019 for 
six parties, including Thailand.  WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  4.389.   It is this commitment to trade liberalization that has seen Thailand 's GDP rise and expand in 
the period under review, albeit at a slower rate in 2019. Its forecasted contraction for 2020 can be 
attributed mainly to the severe impact of the COVID -19 pandemic which has significantly affected 
all of our economies. As a result, the Thai Government intr oduced various policies and measures to 
mitigate the impacts, including an economic stimulus package, healthcare spending, and trade and 
investment related measures which it has assured are temporary.  
4.390.   Nonetheless, Thailand has stated that it continues to believe in a free, predictable, and 
transparent, rules -based multilateral trading system and remains committed to the WTO as a crucial 
mechanism to address economic challenges resulting from the pandemic and to prepare for post -
pandemic recovery. Brunei Da russalam assures that we too will continue to work with you and other 
WTO Members in this regard.  
4.391.   Lastly, we would like to wish Thailand, and, in particular, Ambassador Sunanta, 
Mr. Rachavitch Piyapramote, and team, a successful 8th Trade Policy Review.   
PAKISTAN  
4.392.   Pakistan warmly welcomes the Thai delegation led by His Excellency Rachavitch Piyapramote 
Minister, Permanent Mission of Thailand to the WTO and WIPO in Bangkok. We wish to thank the 
Secretariat for their work in preparing the report. We also wish  to thank Ambassador Her Excellency 
Silvia Elena Alfaro Espinosa of Peru for her introduction and a well -articulated analysis of the Trade 
Policy of Thailand to start our discussion.  
4.393.   We would like to commend Thailand on its various policies and initiatives  during the review 
period in the context of improving trade facilitation infrastructure and encouraging support for 
strengthening the multilateral trading system. In particular, we note that, Thailand has implemented 
more than 97% of its commitments under Trade Facilitation Agreement which is a significant 
achievement.  
4.394.   Chair, Pakistan and Thailand enjoy excellent trading relations. The bilateral trade between 
both countries was recorded at USD 1.54 billion in 2018 -19 with exports of USD 223 million and 
imports of USD 1.32 billion. The trade balance remained in favour of Thailand. During the review 
period, Pakistan generally exported seafood including fish and crustaceans, cotton, optical 
apparatus, lead and its articles and other textile articles. Meanwhile,  Pakistan imported automotive 
parts, machinery, boilers, plastics articles, rubber articles, organic chemicals and manmade staple 
fibers. Apart from trade in goods, Pakistan has also been a big consumer of Thai services, particularly 
Tourism. Thailand rema ins one of the most popular tourist destinations for Pakistani tourists and 
prospective businessmen. Keeping in view the strong trade ties between both countries, in 2015, 
both countries decided to commence negotiations for a bilateral Free Trade Agreement  for further 
enhancing trade and economic cooperation.  
4.395.   Given the overall trade and economic cooperation, Pakistan continues to carefully watch the 
developments in Thailand 's Trade Policy, in particular Agriculture policies, tariffs and TRQs,  
4.396.   technical sta ndards, Sanitary and Phytosanitary measures and import licensing regime. We 
are hopeful that these policies will remain consistent with WTO commitments and obligations and 
will be non -trade restrictive. We also take note of the Thailand 's continued commitm ent to structural 
reforms, targeted sectoral policies and Regional Trade Agreements and Economic Cooperation.  
4.397.   Pakistan and Thailand enjoy good cooperation in all WTO related matters and our Missions 
coordinate on various important matters such as Agricult ure, dispute settlement and other systemic 
issues. We are confident that Thailand stands committed, along with the membership, to the cause 
of trade and sustainable development and upholding a bright future for the multilateral system.  
4.398.   We thank the delegat ion of Thailand and especially their WTO Mission under the stewardship 
of Ambassador Her Excellency Sunanta Kangvalkulkij for the continued support and cooperation. We 
wish Thailand a very successful and fruitful Trade Policy Review.  
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  ZIMBABWE  
4.399.   Allow me to  warmly welcome the delegation of Thailand led by His Excellency, Mr. Rachavitch 
Piyapramote and his team here in Geneva, to this 8th Trade Policy Review. We are grateful to the 
efforts made by Thailand in preparation for this review. We would also like to  express our 
appreciation to the Secretariat and the discussant, Her Excellency, Ambassador Alfaro Espinosa of 
Peru, for their contribution to this review process.  
4.400.   Zimbabwe commends Thailand for showing commitment to the rules -based multilateral 
trading sy stem which provides for stability and sustainability of international economic growth. 
Thailand has maintained macro -financial stability, supported by prudent fiscal and monetary policies. 
These policies have resulted in subdued inflation, relatively low l evels of public debt, a sizable current 
account surplus, substantial foreign exchange reserves, and a sound financial system.  
4.401.   Furthermore, we wish to commend Thailand, since its last Review, for improving its customs 
regime and adopting a new Customs Act in 2017, which helped simplify customs procedures and 
improved transparency. In 2015, Thailand ratified the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement and has 
now implemented 97.1% of its commitments. Under the e -Customs system, customs registration, 
declaration and  document submission are conducted electronically, and e -declarations now 
represent 100% of import declarations.  
4.402.   We are grateful to Thailand that, within the Framework of Thailand Aid Programme (TAP), 
the country has over the years offered Zimbabwean nati onals scholarships on an annual basis in 
areas such as community health, nursing, water supply technology, soil management and 
information.  
4.403.   Although the bilateral trade is still relatively small, there is considerable potential in that 
area. Since 2009 to date, Zimbabwe has had negative trade balances with Thailand. Zimbabwe 's 
major exports to Thailand include cotton, edible fruit and nuts; peel of citrus fruit or melons, raw 
hides and skins, iron and steel. Major imports from Thailand are rubber and articl es, rice, vehicles, 
as well as vehicle parts and accessories.  
4.404.   The products with greatest export potential from Zimbabwe to Thailand are ferro -chromium, 
raw hides and skins of crocodiles, and cotton.  
4.405.   Zimbabwe and Thailand signed a Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement 
(BIPPA) and an avoidance of Double Taxation Agreement in February and May 2000, respectively, 
with the objective of boosting investment. Zimbabwe is the process of ratifying the BIPPA.  
4.406.   In conclusion, we wish Th ailand a successful Trade Policy Review.  
NEPAL  
4.407.   First, my delegation would like to welcome the delegation of Thailand under the leadership 
of H.E. Minister Piyapramote and would like to appreciate to him for the comprehensive opening 
remarks delivered this morning.   
4.408.   I would also like to commend H.E. Sunanta, Ambassador of Thailand to the WTO and WIPO 
for her excellent work as the Chair of the Dispute Settlement Body in 2018 and the General Council 
for the year 2019, and Thailand 's continuous commitment to ru le based multilateral trading system 
and contribution towards it.  
4.409.   I wish to congratulate the Government of Thailand for its comprehensive report and also 
would like to commend the Secretariat for its detailed report of the trade policy review of Thailand.   
4.410.   While going through the reports, it is observed that Thailand has taken remarkable forward 
steps to improve its trade and economic policies over the past few years.  
4.411.   Nepal and Thailand have been enjoying cordial relationship in various dimensions of soci o-
economic and cultural development since long back. Our friendship has been further strengthened 
after establishing the diplomatic relation in 1959.  WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  4.412.   Nepal and Thailand have been bound by commonality of culture and shared values. The 
bilateral relations a re marked by strong friendship, goodwill and understanding between the two 
countries.  
4.413.   Such a relationship is not limited to government to government level but widely expanded 
to business to business as well as people to people level in all aspects of huma n life.   
4.414.   Buddhism has remained one of the strongest links between the peoples of Nepal and 
Thailand. Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha, is one of the most desired destinations in Nepal 
for Thai visitors.  
4.415.   The Thai people and Government have tremendous  goodwill towards Lumbini, the birthplace 
of Lord Buddha where the Thai Government has built a Temple of Thai style.  
4.416.   A Joint Commission at the level of Foreign Secretaries has been established and is functional 
to promote relations and cooperation between  the two countries.  
4.417.   Nepal and Thailand have been very cooperative and supportive to each other in regional and 
international forums.  
4.418.   There is warmth of feeling, and common desire, among the peoples of Nepal and Thailand 
to promote economic and commercial relations between the two countries.  
4.419.   Thailand is one of the major trade partners of Nepal particularly in importing goods from 
abroad.  Based on the preliminary data available, Nepal imported various goods from Thailand worth 
of 12.5 billion Nepali rupees in the year 2019. However, Nepal exported to Thailand worth of only 
59.8 million Nepali rupees in the same year.  
4.420.   This shows a huge trade gap between Nepal and Thailand. This also indicates an availability 
of further opportunity to collaborate and work tog ether both in trade and investment areas for our 
mutual benefit.  
4.421.   Nepal wishes to constructively engage to continue our partnership focusing on reducing the 
existing trade gap between us and strengthening our relation further.  
4.422.   My delegation wishes for a s uccessful Trade Policy Review of Thailand.  
EL SALVADOR  
4.423.   El Salvador echoes the words of those Members who preceded us, welcoming the efforts of 
the Kingdom of Thailand and the delegation led by Minister Piyapramote and all the Thai officials 
who join us tod ay.  
4.424.   We also wish to thank Ambassador Alfaro Espinoza of Peru, for her very pertinent insights, 
comments and analysis, and the Secretariat for the report presented.  
4.425.   As in other Member States, the COVID -19 pandemic has impacted the flow of Thai goods as 
external demand has contracted. Similarly, travel restrictions have brought the steady flow of 
tourists to Thailand to a virtual halt. On the back of the fiscal and non -fiscal measures implemented 
to cushion the economic effects of the crisis, the Thai econo my is expected to grow by more than 
5% in 2021, reflecting the good health of the Thai economy thanks to its years of macroeconomic 
stability.  
4.426.   Like El Salvador, Thailand is part of an economic integration bloc. In Thailand's case, its 
exports to ASEAN acc ount for almost a quarter of its total exports. Within ASEAN, important steps 
have been taken in the area of trade facilitation, such as the launch of the ASEAN Single Window in 
2018. Similarly, protocols have been adopted that will allow the creation of a  self-certification regime 
and the ASEAN Customs Transit System pilot project. These efforts, together with the use of 
information technology to facilitate trade, will enable Thailand to continue to boost its economic 
growth.  WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  4.427.   We congratulate Thailand on t he recent signature of the RCEP, which will create one of the 
largest free trade areas in the world. The Partnership will further reduce non -tariff barriers among 
its members by adopting a common rule of origin scheme, including a common certificate of ori gin. 
This will facilitate supply chain management and reduce transaction costs for trade as the literature 
estimates the cost of rules of origin to be between 1.4% and 5.9%.  
4.428.   With regard to our bilateral relationship, in recent years, El Salvador has imported an 
average of just over USD 97 million from Thailand and has exported just over USD 603,000 annually. 
Among El Salvador's main imports from Thailand are vehicles, househol d washing machines and 
synthetic yarns. This trade depends entirely on the rules negotiated within this Organization.  
4.429.   We commend the flexibility shown by Thailand and the support it received from the 
Secretariat to be able to carry out this review and the  regular work of the Organization.  
4.430.   At the multilateral level, as is reflected in the Secretariat's report, Thailand has been actively 
involved in the regular work of the WTO Committees, negotiations, dispute settlement system, the 
monitoring exercise and plurilateral initiatives.  
4.431.   Lastly, I would like to express El Salvador's gratitude to Ambassador Kangvalkulkij for her 
excellent work with the General Council last year and wish Thailand a successful review.  
EGYPT  
4.432.   Egypt joins others in extending a very warm welcome to the esteemed delegation from 
Bangkok, headed by His Excellency Minister Piyapramote. We would also like to offer our sincere 
compliments to Her Excellency Ambassador Sunanta who has successfully chaired the General 
Council and Dispute Settl ement Body within the last two years.  
4.433.   We thank the Government of Thailand and the WTO Secretariat for their comprehensive 
reports, as well as Her Excellency, Ambassador Silvia Elena Alfaro Espinosa (of Peru) for her 
insightful remarks as discussant.  
4.434.   Egypt wishes to highlight the commendable macroeconomic indicators in the WTO 
Secretariat report that show steady growth rates during the period under review, as well as the 
promising resilience efforts in face of the current socio -economic challenges due to the  Covid -19 
pandemic.  
4.435.   Thailand achieved strong annual GDP growth -rates that averaged at 3.4% since 2015, while 
running a considerable current account surplus, maintaining macro -financial stability, in addition to 
restricting inflation and public debt levels.  Remarkably, Thailand became an upper -middle income 
country in 2019 after reaching a nominal GDP per capita of almost USD 8000.  
4.436.   Much of this success stems from the outward -oriented trade policies that Thailand 
implements, given the central role trade plays  in the economy. We also note the recently 
implemented policies and actions, including the Covid -19 Relief Package, to help the most vulnerable 
groups in mitigating the adverse impacts of the pandemic.  
4.437.   Egypt agrees with the Secretariat 's report with regard s to Thailand 's strong commitment and 
active engagement in the Multilateral Trading System. We applaud the improvements in Thailand 's 
customs regime and the continued efforts towards the full implementation of the Trade Facilitation 
Agreement. We encourage  Thailand to more achieve more progress in its economic reform 
endeavors.  
4.438.   Egypt and Thailand enjoy strong relations and friendly ties, particularly on economic and 
commercial fronts. In this regard, I wish to highlight that since 2015, overall bilateral tr ade volume 
generally witnessed steady figures. During that period, Egyptian exports to Thailand increased 
almost three -fold, and we believe that there is much untapped potential to further enhance our trade 
relations.  WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  4.439.   Egypt looks forward to strengthening b ilateral cooperation between both countries, 
particularly through advancing our commercial and investment relations, to mutually reinforce 
development priorities in both countries.  
4.440.   Finally, Egypt praises Thailand for its impressive overall economic perform ance in recent 
years and wishes its delegation a fruitful Trade Policy Review.  
INDONESIA  
4.441.   Indonesia would like to welcome the delegation of Thailand, led by Minister, Permanent 
Mission of Thailand to the WTO and WIPO, Mr. Rachavitch Piyapramote. Indonesia w ould also like to 
thank the WTO Secretariat and the delegation of Thailand for their comprehensive report which 
provides a useful context for exploring Thailand 's trade, trade -related, and its investment policies.  
4.442.   We also extend appreciation to the Discus sant, Ambassador Ms. Silvia Elena Alfaro Espinosa 
of Peru, for her contribution to this trade policy review.  
4.443.   We are pleased to be here today for participating in the Trade Policy Review of Thailand. For 
many years, Indonesia and Thailand share a good rela tionship, especially within the framework of 
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).  
4.444.   We congratulate the Government of Thailand effort in significantly reducing the spread of 
pandemic within its territory. Nevertheless, we are also empathizing that  many of the Thailand 
workers ' in formal sector applied for unemployment benefits and the job losses are expected to 
increase in this quarter.  
4.445.   In addition, we appreciate Thailand 's valuable contributions in multilateral trading system, 
in particular throug h the WTO. Thailand representation as the Chair of DSB and General Council, in 
2018 and 2019 respectively, also shows ASEAN Members countries ' commitment in enhancing 
stability, predictability, and transparency of the MTS.  
4.446.   In 2019, Thailand was the 19th la rgest exporter and 17th largest importer of goods in the 
world. Thailand is also a regular producer and important exporter of several agricultural products, 
such as natural rubber. Thailand's economy is also diversified with the services and industrial sec tors 
being the main contributors to GDP and exports.  
4.447.   Based on the size and proximity of Indonesia and Thailand, there are still rooms for 
improvement in trade relations. Over the period 2015 -2018, the total of bilateral trade continued to 
show an increase  and reached USD 17.7 billion. However, in 2019, the total trade was recorded at 
USD 15.6 billion or an 11.8% decrease from the previous year. Indonesia's trade balance to Thailand 
is also quite fluctuated and showed a deficit, with the highest deficit in the past five years accounted 
to USD 4.13 billion in 2018.  
4.448.   Please allow us to underline some of our interest and concerns on trade and trade related 
policies and practices of Thailand, which are also reflected in our written questions.  
4.449.   First, regarding imp ort measures. Indonesia is interested to know more about the changes 
of Industrial Products Standards Act in 2019, especially about the mandatory standards by 
ministerial regulation and its effects on the importation of goods. As a country whose economic 
growth is supported by the agricultural sector, we encourage Thailand to guarantee transparency 
including on the special safeguard provisions and ensure that there is no quantitative restriction.  
4.450.   The Secretariat notes that the low quota fill rates for certa in products due to imported under 
FTAs and from ASEAN countries. This issue was also questioned by Indonesia in the WTO Committee 
on Agriculture. In 2018, instant coffee from Indonesia was subjected to tariff rate quota (TRQ) which 
should not be imposed ba sed on the ATIGA scheme. To that extend, Indonesia asks Thailand to 
provide the implementation and utilization tariff - and quota -free access under the ATIGA and will 
review it regularly.  
4.451.   Second, regarding sectoral policy. As noted in the reports prepared f or this Review, there 
are mandatory requirements for imported goods transported by Thai -flagged vessels. Within WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  fisheries sector, Indonesia needs clarification from Thailand on a ban or cancellation of shrimp import 
license from Indonesia due to domestic p roduction could fulfil domestic demand.  
4.452.   In addition, Indonesia also seeks a clarification and explanation regarding FinTech and its 
competition policy, non -preferential rules of origin, a mandatory of certification mark, and the 
opportunities on doing business construction in Thailand.  
4.453.   Indonesia believes that, through this Trade Policy Review, can be positively addressed by 
Thailand delegation. In this regard, we look forward to a follow -up communication with the 
delegation of Thailand for further writt en clarification on our interest and concerns.  
4.454.   Finally, we would like to conclude our remarks by expressing, once again, our profound 
appreciation to the delegation of Thailand for their hard work. Indonesia wishes Thailand every 
success in its eighth Trad e Policy Review.  
ARGENTINA  
4.455.   We would like to join our voice to those of the Members who welcomed the Thai delegation. 
We also welcome the reports prepared by Thailand and the Secretariat.  
4.456.   Argentina is pleased to note that since its last trade policy revie w in 2016, Thailand has 
managed to maintain a sound macroeconomy and grow at an average annual rate of 3.4% for the 
period 2015 -2019.  
4.457.   Despite this good performance, Thailand and the other Members of this Organization have 
been clearly affected by the pand emic. The impact has been particularly heavy on Thailand's tourism 
sector, which plays a central role in its economy and is a major source of foreign exchange. Argentina 
supports the Thai Government's efforts to protect the hardest -hit households and busin esses 
through cash transfers, soft loans and tax relief measures.  
4.458.   We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Thailand on the changes made to its 
customs regime, and in particular the adoption of a new Customs Act in 2017. We welcome the fact 
that Thailand was one of the Members that ratified the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement early in 
2015, in addition to having implemented almost all its commitments.  
4.459.   Lastly, and specifically with regard to fisheries subsidies, we wish to highlight the adopt ion 
of measures to address IUU fishing. We are convinced that such efforts are a step in the right 
direction and bring us steadily but surely closer to a decision on fisheries subsidies at the next 
Ministerial Conference.  
4.460.   In conclusion, I would like to re iterate, once again, our thanks for this opportunity to examine 
Thailand's trade practices.  
4.461.   We wish your authorities a successful conclusion to this review.  
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  5  REPLIES BY THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THAILAND  AND ADDITIONAL COMMENTS  
5.1.  Good morning e xcellencies and distinguished guests. In this second session of Thailand 's 8th 
Trade Policy Review, I would like to express our sincere appreciation to our Chair, Discussant, and 
all Members for your insightful statements during the first session. We are sincerely thankful for all 
encouragements and commendations for Thailand 's efforts in recovering and strengthening 
Thailand 's economy after the COVID -19 pandemic. Member's suggestions and concerns are an 
invaluable input in our ongoing work to further impr ove our trade policy to tackle new challenges 
and aspirations, while preserving the principles of free trade which has always been at the heart of 
Thailand's trade regime.  
5.2.  So far , Thailand has received more than 600 questions, which we have already respond ed to 
414 questions. With approximately 200 remaining questions, Thailand would like to reaffirm that we 
will answer all questions as soon as we can.  
5.3.  As a follow -up to the first session o f Thailand 's Trade Policy Review meeting on Tuesday this 
week, I wou ld like to ta ke this opportunity to provide brief but substantive answers to the 
suggestions and concerns raised by Members during Tuesday 's meeting as follows.  
Trade related measures during the COVID -19 pandemic  
5.4.  Thailand reaffirms its commitment to adopt trade related m easures responding to the 
COVID -19 pandemic that are targeted, temporary, appropriate, transparent and consistent with 
WTO obligations. In February 2020, Thailand applied export restriction on bird eggs and surgical 
masks in response to the COVID -19 pandemic. The export restriction on bird eggs was terminated 
in April this year. The export restriction on surgical masks  will be terminated on 3 February 2021 as 
stated in the  current domestic Notification. Both measures are temporary measures an d were 
introduced as a response to safeguard Thai people's lives and health from the pandemic. The 
measures were notified to the WTO on 2 April 2020 as appears in document 
(G/MA/QR/N/THA/2/Add.3)  
5.5.  Our notification also adheres to the APEC MRT Declaration o n Facilitating the Movement of 
Essential Goods. This is a testimony  of Thailand's commitment to the principles of the WTO and of 
the multilateral trading system , even in these unusual times.  
5.6.  Speaking of APEC, I would like to take this opportunity to inform  the meeting that Thailand will 
be host economy of APEC in 2022. Thailand will work closely with New Zealand , the host of APEC 
2021, and APEC economies to further strengthen regional cooperation, especially to support the 
MTS. We look forward to hosting th e APEC Meetings in 2022.  
Transparency and notification obligations  
5.7.  Thailand attaches great importance on promoting transparency in the WTO which is reflected 
by our records in notification obligations with around 90 percentages of compliance rate in 
merch andise trade. We also notified trade related measures related to the COVID -19 pandemic. 
Furthermore, as mentioned by some M embers on Domestic Support  notification , we are in the 
process of collecting information and we will notify the WTO once we receive a ll the information.  
Improvement of Thailand GATS schedules  
5.8.  Thailand is fully aware of our obligation to take necessary actions to update our Schedule of 
Specific Commitment for telecommunication services under the General Agreement on Trade in 
Services (GATS) since we have issued the Telecommunication Business Act  which has introduced 
the increasing of foreign equity participation, and other new laws and regulations related to the 
Reference Paper.  
5.9.  We are currently in a public hearing stage, and the results of public hearings will be presented 
to the cabinet and pa rliament for their approval. After that, we will proceed with WTO procedures 
for the certification of improvements to schedules of specific commitments.  WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  TFA implementation  
5.10.   For TFA implementation, Thailand appreciates all Members for their commendations on our 
high implementation rate at 97.1%. We will certainly put great efforts to further implement our 
remaining commitments under the TFA in order to better facilitate importers and exporters and ease 
trade processes.  
Complex Tariff structure  
5.11.   Regarding tarif f structure, Thailand revises its tariff structure on a regular basis. If there are 
any circumstances such as changes in economics, trade or investment which make tariff reductions 
deem appropriate or necessary, the tariff structure may be revised accordin gly.  
Foreign business liberaliz ation  
5.12.   Thailand understands that foreign investors are concerned with the policy on the amendment 
of List Three annexed to the Foreign Business Act B.E. 2542. We would like to assure that Thailand 
has a coherent policy to pro mote foreign investment and we will keep working to facilitate foreign 
investors in doing business and remove any obstacles in investing in Thailand.  
5.13.   The Foreign Business Commission reviews c ategories of businesses in the l ists annexed to the 
Act annually. Since 2013, the Min istry of Commerce has issued 4 Ministerial Regulations Prescribing 
Service Business Not Subject to Application for Foreign Business Permission coveri ng 40  business 
categories such as securities business under the law on securit ies and securities exchange, insurance 
business under the law on insurance, financial institution business, and representative office/regional 
office.  
5.14.   To review the regulated businesses under the F oreign Business Act, the regulation 
promulgation process requires that public hearings with stakeholders and sector regulators  are held. 
The result based on pros and cons usually requires sufficient information for the Commission to 
remove the regulated businesses from the list.  
Securities company inspection  
5.15.   The inspections ' scope for both Thai and Foreign securities companies are in accordance with 
the Notification of the Capital Market Supervisory Board No. 35 in 2003 on Standard Conduct of 
Business, Management Arrangement, Operating Systems, and Providing Servic es to Clients of 
Securities Companies and Derivatives Intermediaries. The notification is available on the SEC 's 
website. In summary, it requires public consultations and mechanisms ensuring that the rules are 
fair, consistently applied, comprehensible, an d transparent to the public. Furthermore, Thailand has 
recently participated in the Financial Sector Assessment Programs (FSAP) conducted by the 
International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank and received an assessment grade of "Fully 
Implemented " for IOSCO Principle 4 "Clear and consistent regulatory process ". 
WTO/M ultilateral Trading System  
5.16.   Thailand reaffirms its commitment to the rules -based multilateral trading system. O ur trade 
regime, laws and regulations adhere to the WTO principles  and are imp lemented in a transparent 
and non -discriminatory manner.  
5.17.   In addition, Thailand will work closely with WTO Members and actively participate in on -going 
discussions  including fisheries subsidies, agriculture and e -commerce to achieve a substantial 
outcome for MC12. We also view that there is an urgent need to advance WTO reform and resolve 
the Appellate Body impasse.  
5.18.   I would like  to thank the Chair, the Discussant  and all Members again for your interest in 
Thailand 's trade policy, and constructive engagement and valuable contribution during this two-day 
meeting. I would also like to thank the WTO Secretariat for the excellent Secretariat Report and 
their support thro ughout Thailand 's TPR process.  WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  5.19.   In closing, I wish everyone stay safe and healthy through these unusual times. Thank you for 
the floor.  
DISCUSSANT  
5.20.   Thank you, Mr Chair. Good morning or good afternoon, everyone.  
5.21.   I would like to start my second presentation i n my capacity as discussant, by expressing my 
satisfaction with the exchanges held to date, including Thailand's second intervention, which was 
aimed at responding to the various questions raised by the participating delegations. I was able to 
confirm my i mpression that the present exercise is indeed turning out to be a very useful and 
successful Trade Policy Review.  
5.22.   It is a relatively well -known fact that some South -East Asian economies, including Thailand, 
have been dubbed as "tiger cub economies" due to  their similarities with the economic development 
of the original four Asian tigers. This Review has enabled me to understand this concept a little 
better, and to wonder if Thailand is not perhaps at an important crossroads, on the cusp of soon 
making the leap to eventually become yet another fully developed Asian tiger. I am observing some 
conditions that are conducive to that happening, together with some challenges that I will outline 
briefly.  
5.23.   First, one word kept cropping up over and over last Tuesday:  investment. This somewhat odd 
as we are dealing with a Review that deals mainly with trade issues. However, requests to reduce 
red tape surrounding foreign property in some sectors, as well as interest in finding out about the 
conditions for setting up a new business in the Economic Corridor of the East and requests for Thai 
investment in other countries clearly demonstrate that WTO Members believe in Thailand's growth, 
and in the possibility of doing business with, in and from Thailand. It is normal that this interest in 
investment to and from Thailand should reveal a yet undivulged margin of potential economic growth 
that could come to fruition if certain barriers are overcome and certain key elements are maintained, 
such as political and macroeconomic st ability, the rule of law and a strong financial sector.  
5.24.   Second, the policy of regional trade agreements and preferential integration seems to have 
had a favourable impact on Thailand's image as a partner with whom business and investment can 
be done. In o ther words, a partner with whom rules -based mutual economic growth can be achieved. 
On the first day of this Review, several references were made to the Regional Comprehensive 
Economic Partnership (RCEP), agreements between the Association of South -East As ian Nations 
(ASEAN) and various Members of this Organization, and to the negotiation of bilateral trade 
agreements either underway or already concluded. One can infer from these references an 
acknowledgement that these agreements are valuable instruments u nderpinned by an aspiration to 
be more closely associated with and develop special cooperation with the Thai Government with a 
view to achieving mutually beneficial trade and investment. The challenge for Thailand, on the one 
hand, is to seize the opportun ities that are being opened up thanks to those agreements and, to 
complement that, allow the other parties to benefit from them in concrete terms, striking the right 
balance that would allow partners to maintain their perception of Thailand as a fair and o pen partner. 
On the other hand, it is important to note that the interest in developing trade with Thailand is not 
limited only to those trading partners with whom it has concluded or is negotiating preferential trade 
agreements, but that it is also being expressed by various governments whose trade relations with 
Thailand are covered by WTO legal instruments. That is why it is crucial for Thailand's important 
participation in this Organization to be maintained, as has been recognized by the 40 or so 
delega tions that took the floor last Tuesday, representing countries from all regions.  
5.25.   Third, Thailand's strategic economic plan has elicited several positive comments from the 
Members and no substantial criticism to speak of. That is why this plan and attendan t objectives 
have received, in my view, the preliminary green light. The real challenge will be to ensure effective 
implementation of the plan, both in terms of honouring Thailand's different international 
commitments, and in terms of paying due attention to all aspects of sustainable development while 
implementing the plan. These include the social aspect: fostering social equality, which could be 
linked to micro, small and medium -sized enterprises and women's economic empowerment; and the 
environmental as pect: respect for ecosystems and biodiversity and combating climate change.  WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  5.26.   Fourth, the Members of this Organization have proposed to scale up certain developments in 
Thailand's economic and trade policy. Trade facilitation, making it easier to do busines s, continued 
customs reforms, simplification and liberalization of the tariff structure, opening up of the 
government procurement system, and protection of intellectual property rights, inter alia, are areas 
of Thailand's economic policy on which participa ting delegations have noted positive developments 
during the present Review while also noting that there is some room for improvement.  
5.27.   Thailand has informed us that it has taken significant measures to tackle the economic 
slowdown caused by the COVID -19 pandemic, but perhaps it can do even more during this peculiar 
period. As a famous politician once said, "Never let a good crisis go to w aste". Therefore, the current 
context could be an opportunity to do an in -depth analysis of the comments that have emerged 
during the present Review with a view to pursuing positive developments and channeling  efforts to 
build back better.  
5.28.   These are the f our salient points which have emerged from this Review, in my view, and which 
present both opportunities and challenges on Thailand's road to becoming an Asian tiger on its own 
merit. The only thing I have to add, to paraphrase a delegation which took the floor last Tuesday, is 
that, as Thailand works towards achieving its objective of becoming a developed economy, it will 
also have to assume greater responsibility on the international scene by seeking the stability and 
prosperity of the region and promotin g a fair and sustainable international system for all. Thank you.  
EUROPEAN  UNION  
5.29.   On behalf of the EU, let me first thank Thailand for the comprehensive overview presented 
last Tuesday of the main trade and economic developments that occurred during the rev iew period.  
5.30.   The EU welcomes the useful insights that this review has provided into Thailand 's ongoing and 
planned policies and initiatives to foster economic growth, enhance its integration in global supply 
chains, and strengthen its regulatory environment . 
5.31.   The EU hopes that its comments, and those by other Members, will support Thailand in further 
reviewing and reforming its trade and economic policies, addressing the challenges highlighted in 
the interventions delivered on Tuesday.  
5.32.   In this respect, the EU would underline in particular the importance of lifting restrictions to 
foreign participation in the Thai services, investment and public procurement markets; as well as 
the key contribution that enhanced transparency and stakeholders ' involvement in the design, 
implementation and enforcement of trade measures would play for the establishment of a more 
attractive business environment in Thailand.  
5.33.   The EU would like to thank the delegation of Thailand for undergoing this important 
transparency  exercise in a virtual format and despite of challenging circumstances, thus 
demonstrating Thailand 's commitment to the  WTO, as was noted by several Members during this 
review. EU is confident that our good cooperation will continue and will contribute to a sustainable 
socio-economic recovery from the pandemic and to economic growth.  
UNITED  STATES  
5.34.   The United States thanks Thailand and the Secretariat for their efforts in conducting this Trade 
Policy Review, particularly under the difficult circumstances rel ated to the pandemic.  
5.35.   We have benefited from the exchang e of views provided by the R eview , which have 
highlighted the accomplishments and progress m ade by Thailand since its last R eview, and also 
provided an opportunity for Members to raise ongoing concer ns with current Thai trade practices.  
5.36.   The United States mentioned , in our remarks on Day 1 , the longstanding and deep relationship 
between the United States and Thailand, one that extends well beyond trade relations. We look 
forward to continuing to streng then our important relationship through our bilateral and regional 
dialogue mechanisms and cooperation here at the WTO.  WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  5.37.   We would like to reiterate our desire to see deeper reforms put in place in Thailand 's customs 
practices, particularly with respect to operation of  Thai customs penalty regime s.  
5.38.   We look forward to close cooperation with Thailand in the Trade Facilitation Committee in this 
regard.  
5.39.   Once again, we request Thailand to update its  GATS  schedule to reflect the current level of 
market access pro vided in the telecom munication s sector , consistent with the commitment Thailand 
made in 1997. We appreciate the update we received this morning on domestic steps being taken 
in this regard.  
5.40.   We would like to request that Thailand provide an update at the up coming Council on Trade 
and Services meeting , if there are any updates.  
5.41.   We will continue to engage Thailand 's representatives here in Geneva and in Bangkok to 
further our efforts to resolve our concerns regarding T hailand 's regime for agricultural  products and 
SPS measures.  
5.42.   We highlighted import fees and approval processes in Day 1 , and reiterate our interest in 
receiving more information from Thai officials regarding our questions.  
5.43.   Unfortunately, we must also take the opportunity of ou r Day 2 statement to, once again, 
express our strong disappointment that over half the questions posed to Thailand by the United 
States , as an integral part of this R eview, have gone unanswe red. Our participation in this R eview 
with one of our most importa nt trading partners has been severely limited by this fact.  
5.44.   The United States observed the alternative timeline schedule requested by Thailand, a 
timeline that provided additional time for Thailand to respond to Members ' advance written 
questions. We did s o on the understanding that we would receive responses in accordance with that 
timeline and would have been able to utilize those responses to enhance our engagement in the 
review process. Without those responses, not only have we been unable to engage in the review 
process to the fullest extent, we have also been denied an opportunity to pose important follow -up 
questions. We reiterate our expectation that all of our written questions will receive responses.  
5.45.   Once again, we thank the delegation of Thailand for their participation in this R eview , and we 
thank the Secretariat and the discussant for their valuable support and insights.  
UNITED  KINGDOM  
5.46.   The United Kingdom would like to reiterate its appreciation for Thailand 's constructive 
engagement  with this Tra de Policy Review.  We would also like to join other delegations in welcoming 
Thailand 's active participation in the Joint Initiatives on E -commerce and Services Domestic 
Regulation.  
5.47.   We thank Thailand for providing timely answers to the questions raised by t he United Kingdom 
in advance of this meeting.  
5.48.   We have now submitted some follow -up questions for Thailand relating to labelling and 
advertising of alcoholic beverages and have requested some further information in relation to 
Thailand 's mandatory registration system for government procurement.  
5.49.   We look forward to receiving answers to these follow -up questions in due course and the 
United Kingdom sends its best wishes to Thailand for a successful trade policy review.  
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  6  CONCLUDING REMARKS BY THE CHAIRPERSON  
6.1.  The eighth Trade Policy Review of Thailand has offered us a good opportunity to deepen our 
understanding of recent developments in, and challenges to, its trade, economic, and investment 
policies; this has been achieved despite the constraints posed by the COVID -19 pandemic on the 
preparation of the reports and on our deliberations. Our discussion has clearly benefited from the 
active participation of the Thai delegation, led by Mr. Rachavitch Piyapramote , Minister, Permanent 
Mission of Thailand  to the WTO and WIPO, Bangkok Office, who participated from Bangkok. I would 
like to thank H.E.  Ambassador Sunanta Kangvalkulkij , Permanent Representative of Thailand to the 
WTO, and her team for their work and cooperation in the preparation of this Review . I would also 
like to express my appreciation to our discussant H.E.  Ambassador Silvia Elena Alfaro Espinosa  of 
Peru for her insightful remarks, and to the 44 delegations that took the floor for their valuable 
contributions.  Thailand responded to two -thirds of around 600 written questions posed by Members; 
some Members noted that even though their questions were submitted within the stipulated 
deadline, some have not been answered. They look forward to receiving replies to outstanding 
questions as soon as possible.  
6.2.  Members commended Thailand's economic performance during the review period, with an 
average annual GDP growth rate of 3.4% between 2015 and 2019. However, they also expressed 
concern about the slowdown of the economy from 2019, and the extraordi nary difficulties caused by 
the COVID -19 pandemic in 2020. Some Members acknowledged that Thailand's balanced fiscal 
situation allowed it to swiftly adopt measures to provide relief after the onset of the crisis.  
6.3.  Members noted the challenges facing the ec onomy, such as the need to improve income and 
regional disparities and to boost the low levels of public and private investment. They welcomed 
Thailand's reform initiatives, in particular the "Thailand 4.0" and the Eastern Economic Corridor 
(EEC) projects.  Members appreciated Thailand's efforts to enact new, and amend existing  
trade -related legislation, including the Anti -Dumping and Countervailing Act, the Industrial Products 
Standards Act, the Public Procurement and Supplies Administration Act, and the Tr ade Competition 
Act, among others. On the other hand, some Members pointed out that Thailand's Foreign Business 
Act is still restrictive, and that applying for a foreign business license can be a bureaucratic and 
lengthy process.  
6.4.  Members commended Thailan d's strong commitment to the multilateral trading system, and 
welcomed its contribution to advance WTO reform. The delegation of Thailand recalled that it had 
tabled a proposal on the dispute settlement system to facilitate discussions and resolve the Appe llate 
Body impasse. Many Members appreciated the leadership role played by Thailand's Ambassador and 
Permanent Representative to the WTO and WIPO, who served as Chair of the Dispute Settlement 
Body and the General Council in 2018 and 2019, respectively. Me mbers congratulated Thailand for 
the ratification of the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement in 2015, the acceptance of the Protocol 
Amending the TRIPS Agreement in 2016, and for its participation in the expansion of the Information 
Technology Agreement and t he Joint Statement Initiative on e -Commerce. They also welcomed 
Thailand's recent announcement that it will join the Services Domestic Regulation Joint Statement 
Initiative, and encouraged Thailand to participate in the Joint Statement Initiative on invest ment 
facilitation. Members acknowledged Thailand's support for the WTO Working Group on Micro, Small 
and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), highlighting the importance of MSMEs in COVID -19 recovery. 
Some Members also welcomed Thailand's support in developing a Fr amework for Negotiations in 
Domestic Support in agriculture.  
6.5.  Members referred to Thailand's economic integration agenda within the ASEAN, and with other 
economic partners through the conclusion of RTAs. Many welcomed the Regional Comprehensive 
Economic Pa rtnership (RCEP), signed on 15 November 2020, and were interested in learning more 
about the agreement's scope.  
6.6.  Referring to specific trade policies, many Members appreciated the adoption of the new 
Customs Act, which helped simplify customs procedures and  improve transparency. Some Members 
remain concerned about the penalty regime and the commission payments under this Act, and 
enquired about plans to enact further customs reforms. Members urged Thailand to simplify its tariff 
structure, which was seen as relatively complex. Some Members noted the significant gap between 
bound and applied rates, the extensive use of non -ad valorem  rates, and the few cases where applied 
rates exceed bound rates. Some Members appreciated that Thailand is revising its tariff q uota 
allocation system; they noted that currently the tariff quota fill rates are very low for some WT/TPR/M/ 400 • Thailand  
 
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  agricultural products, and looked forward to seeing the implementation of the revised system. Some 
Members pointed out that Thailand applies import licensin g and other requirements on various 
products, and encouraged further relaxation of these measures.  
6.7.  Some Members were interested to know more about mandatory standards and their effects on 
the importation of goods. Some have raised specific trade concerns on SPS measures maintained by 
Thailand at the WTO SPS Committee. Members noted with concern Thailand's export ban on surgical 
masks, which are essential to fight the pandemic. Some Members noted Thailand's targeted 
initiatives in specific economic sectors or geographical zones, through the use of investment 
incentives, and called on Thailand to simplify and broaden them to all sectors.  
6.8.  Some Members recognized that Thailand is an observer to the WTO Government Procurement 
Agreement, and has included provisi ons on cooperation and information sharing in some of its FTAs. 
They encouraged Thailand to consider expanding these obligations to cover market access 
commitments. Thailand was invited to open its procurement market to foreign suppliers, and to 
ensure tra nsparency, non -discrimination, competition and fairness in government procurement 
processes. Many Members applauded efforts by Thailand to strengthen IPR protection, including 
through the amendment to its Trademark and Copyright Acts. Members congratulated  Thailand's 
recent accession to the WIPO's Madrid Protocol and the Marrakesh Treaty, and supported Thailand's 
continuing efforts to accede to other WIPO instruments.  
6.9.  A number of delegations pointed out that agriculture receives more trade protection than t he 
rest of the economy, with the average tariff on agricultural product s being much higher than on 
non-agricultural products. It was also noted that import and export restrictions, as well as import 
surcharges, apply to agricultural products. Members encou raged Thailand to further liberalize its 
agriculture sector by reviewing its existing market access measures, and to use ad-valorem  tariffs 
to increase transparency. Members noted that Thailand's latest notification on domestic support to 
agriculture cover s only up to 2016, and urged Thailand to submit more up -to-date notifications. 
Many appreciated Thailand's efforts to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and 
welcomed Thailand's active participation in the WTO fisheries subsidies nego tiations, particularly as 
a significant producer through marine capture fishing.  
6.10.   It was acknowledged that services remain the main contributor to Thailand's economy and 
account for a significant share of GDP and employment. Members appreciated Thailand's steps in 
relaxing foreign equity restrictions for some services sectors, and encouraged Thailand to revise its 
GATS schedule to reflect them. Members also encouraged Thailand to consider further liberalizing 
its investment regime in the services sector to attract foreign investment. On financial services, 
Members acknowledged Thailand's effort to remove banking and insurance businesses from the list 
of activities where foreign investment is restricted, and encouraged it to pursue the liberalization of 
these  services. Some noted that Thailand has undertaken commitments for international maritime 
transport services under the GATS, and questioned whether Thailand's practice to reserve the 
transportation of government cargos to Thai -flagged vessels is in conform ity with such 
commitments.  
6.11.   The above are some of the key issues that emerged from our discussion. I hope that the Thai 
delegation will take into account and further reflect on these issues and on the many constructive 
comments, both broad and detailed, th at it has received during this Review. Members look forward 
to receiving written answers from Thailand to any outstanding questions or follow -up questions 
within one month, at which point the Review will be successfully concluded.  
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  7  ADOPTION OF TPRB'S ANNUAL REPORT FOR 2020  
CHAIRPERSON  
7.1.  I would now like to ask delegations to consider the TPRB's Annual Report for 2020, which was 
initially distributed on 9 October 2020 in document WT/TPR/W/179, and its revised version, in which 
the Secretariat has i ncorporated comments from one delegation, was distributed on 23 October 2020 
in document WT/TPR/W/179/Rev.1. I trust that this revised version coul d be considered the final 
one. 
7.2.  The floor is now open if any delegation would like to speak. Otherwise, I prop ose the adoption 
of the Annual Report as contained in document WT/TPR/W/179/Rev.1.  
7.3.  With this, I declare the meeting closed. I thank you all for your participation and please note 
that the next meeting of the Trade Policy Review Body will be held on 9 and 1 1 December, when the 
TPRB will discuss the TPR of Indonesia.  
__________