OPPOSITION TO STEEL, AUTO SECTORS IN FTA

摘要

Local steel manufacturers, users and foreign carmakers must hold out against the Japanese government's demand that Thailand open its steel and auto industries to competition, a senior government official said yesterday. Foreign Affairs Ministry deputy permanent secretary Pisan Manawapat said people who stood to be affected had met with the Kingdom's trade negotiators late last week. Pisan, also chief trade negotiator for the Thai-Japan Economic Partnership, said local steel-makers wanted the government to maintain its current protection measures. They told Pisan market liberalisation would allow Japan's steel producers to monopolise both price and sales volume here. And any liberalisation would serve to strengthen the marketing power of Japan steel companies, whether they were selling to Thai consumers or not.