{"id":123,"date":"2011-01-11T14:29:36","date_gmt":"2011-01-11T19:29:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citizenstrade.org\/draft\/u-s-thailand-free-trade-agreement\/"},"modified":"2011-05-06T15:18:03","modified_gmt":"2011-05-06T19:18:03","slug":"u-s-thailand-free-trade-agreement","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.citizenstrade.org\/ctc\/trade-policies\/potential-trade-agreements\/u-s-thailand-free-trade-agreement\/","title":{"rendered":"U.S.-Thailand Free Trade Agreement"},"content":{"rendered":"

U.S.-Thailand FTA Overview<\/a>
\nU.S.-Thailand FTA News<\/a>
\nU.S.-Thailand FTA & Agriculure<\/a>
\nU.S.-Thailand FTA & Labor<\/a>
\nU.S.-Thailand FTA & Access to Medicines<\/a><\/p>\n

U.S.-Thailand FTA Overview<\/a><\/strong>
\nThe U.S. Trade Representative\u2019s office has begun negotiations with Thailand for a bilateral \u201cfree trade\u201d and investment agreement, the prospects for which are already highly controversial in both countries. The two countries hope to finish negotiations next year.<\/p>\n

In the U.S., the agreement would threaten manufacturing workers producing trucks and cars, as well as rice, sugar, chicken, and other farmers, and certain sectors of the seafood industry \u2013 especially shrimp. On the Thai side, where approximately 1.6% of adults are estimated to be infected with HIV or AIDS, civil society groups have already begun to campaign against the expected damage the deal would wreak on AIDS\/HIV patients\u2019 and other medical patients\u2019 ongoing access to affordable medicines. The agreement may also meet with strong opposition in Thailand due to its potential impact on Thai sovereignty, including the possible restructuring of Thai laws that have traditionally restricted foreign ownership of property. Businesses in Thailand that profit off of \u201cpirated\u201d American products like CD\u2019s, DVD\u2019s, and software stand to lose under the agreement as the U.S. is demanding that Thailand enact tough new copyright protections. Environmentalists fear the effect the FTA could have on Thailand\u2019s valuable natural resources, home to several endangered species.<\/p>\n

Congressional critics also question the wisdom of negotiating a trade agreement with Thailand when the current administration of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra pursues objectionable policies in several areas. Some Members of Congress have criticized Thaksin\u2019s close relationship with neighboring Burma\u2019s military dictatorship. Thaksin met with international condemnation from the United Nations and other institutions, governments, and human rights monitors due to an ongoing crack down on narcotics that has left as many as 3,000 dead. Thaksin has also been criticized for consolidating a significant portion of the media under his control.<\/p>\n

Among the corporations advocating for the trade and investment agreement are Unocal, General Motors, and Nike.<\/p>\n

U.S.-Thailand FTA News<\/a><\/strong>
\nFTA Talks Revived<\/a> AFP, June 25, 2008
\nJapan aide urges U.S. Congress approve Korea trade deal<\/a> Reuters, December 7, 2007
\nThailand Delays Free Trade Moves<\/a> Wall Street Journal, March 3, 2006
\nThailand Suspends US Free Trade Talks Due to Poll<\/a> Reuters, March 1, 2006
\nThai Trade Negotiator With US Resigns After Criticism<\/a> Associated Press, January 19, 2006
\nThousands Protest Against US-Thai Trade Talks<\/a> Reuters, January 9, 2006
\n10,000 Expected to Protest US Free Trade Talks<\/a> The Nation (Thailand), January 6, 2006
\nTechnical Discussions Dominate US-Thai FTA Round<\/a> Bridges, October 5, 2005
\nThailand Says Trade Pact Could Take Time<\/a> Associated Press, September 21, 2005<\/p>\n

US & Thailand Press for Trade Pact<\/a> Bloomberg, September 20, 2005
\nTrade Pacts May Lead to Legal Changes<\/a> Bangkok Post, January 25, 2005
\nAcademics Called for Temporary Suspension of FTA Talks with US<\/a> TNA, November 13, 2004
\n\u2018FTA Offers More Risks Than Gains\u2019<\/a> The Nation (Thailand), September 27, 2004
\nFTA Talks with US on Track, Says Thai Minister<\/a> The Straits Times, September 22, 2004
\nThailand’s Free Trade Tactics Under Fire<\/a> Asia Times, July 7, 2004
\nU.S., Thailand Eye Free Trade<\/a> Washington Times, July 2, 2004
\n300 Thais Protest Against FTAs<\/a> Herald Sun, June 28, 2004
\nFTA Opponents Plan Rally<\/a> The Nation (Thailand), June 28, 2004
\nReaching Trade Pact with US No Simple Task<\/a> The Nation (Thailand), June 28, 2004<\/p>\n

Govt Could Be Sued If US Gets Its ‘Usual FTA’<\/a> The Nation (Thailand), June 25, 2004
\nUS-Thai Relations: FTA with Thailand Opposed<\/a> The Nation (Thailand), April 3, 2004
\nCalls for Rethink on Privatisation, FTAs<\/a> The Nation (Thailand), March 31, 2004
\nU.S. Firms Ally to Forge FTA with Kingdom<\/a> Agence France Presse, March 25, 2004
\nSenators Want to Screen FTA Deals<\/a> The Nation (Thailand), March 18, 2004
\nBush Plans Commerce Talks with Thais<\/a> Washington Times, February 13, 2004<\/p>\n

U.S.-Thailand FTA & Agriculure<\/a><\/strong>
\nOxfam Warns of FTA Blow to Thai Farmers<\/a> Bangkok Post, April 12, 2006
\nThai Farmers Fear Free Trade Deal With US<\/a> Inter Press Services, January 6, 2006
\nProtests Halt Thailand’s GM Crop Trials<\/a> Agence France Presse, September 1, 2004
\nThais Lift Ban on GMO Planting, Will Regulate Trials<\/a> Reuters, August 23, 2004
\nUS-Thai Free Trade Talks Clouded By Patent, Ag Concerns<\/a> Associated Press, June 21, 2004
\nLawsuit Accuses Cargill of Bribery in Thai Venture<\/a> Wall Street Journal, May 24, 2004
\nAmerican Sugar Alliance Vows Opposition to Thailand FTA<\/a> American Sugar Alliance, May 4, 2004
\nSugar Representative Tells USTR: Address Sugar Subsidies in WTO, Not in Thailand FTA<\/a> U.S. Sugar Industry Group, March 30, 2004<\/p>\n

U.S.-Thailand FTA & Labor<\/a><\/strong>
\nThai Labour Campaign<\/a>
\nThai Police Rescue 18 Laotian Girls From Sweatshop<\/a> Associated Press, September 15, 2004
\nWorkers Stage ‘Olympics’ to Protest Sportswear Industry Abuses<\/a> Associated Press, August 8, 2004
\nAngry Thai factory owners are ‘out to kill me’ says a Burmese labor leader in Thailand<\/a> The Irrawaddy, June 2004
\nU.S.-Thailand Free Trade Agreement<\/a> ALF-CIO, March 11, 2004
\nSupport Block On Thailand Free Trade Agreement<\/a> Action alert from the United Auto Workers
\nCongressional Resolutions Support American Automotive Jobs<\/a> United Auto Workers, March 3, 2004<\/p>\n

U.S.-Thailand FTA & Access to Medicines<\/a><\/strong>
\nReports<\/strong>
\nThailand: Drug War Darkens AIDS Success<\/a> Human Rights Watch, July 8, 2004<\/p>\n

Articles & Statements<\/strong>
\nFree Trade with US Will Hurt Health Care<\/a> Inter Press Service, January 31, 2006
\nThailand Must Protect Access to Medicines<\/a> Medecins Sans Frontieres January 11, 2006
\nDemocrats Join FTA Critics<\/a> Bangkok Post, January 8, 2005
\nThailand to Provide Cheap Anti-Aids Drugs<\/a> Agence France Presse, October 4, 2004
\nCall to Bar Medicines From Pact<\/a> The Nation (Thailand), September 10, 2004
\nFrance Accuses the U.S. of AIDS Blackmail<\/a> Los Angeles Times, July 14, 2004
\nFTA with U.S. Threatens Cheap Thai Aids Drugs<\/a> The Straits Times, July 13, 2004
\n‘Patent-owners should stand down for poor’<\/a> The Nation (Thailand), July 9, 2004
\nFreer Trade Weakens Access to HIV\/AIDS Drugs<\/a> Inter Press Service, May 21, 2004
\nThailand Angers Hollywood<\/a> P2Pnet, April 5, 2004
\nThai and U.S. AIDS Activists Against Bilateral Trade Deal<\/a> Health GAP, October 19, 2003<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

U.S.-Thailand FTA Overview U.S.-Thailand FTA News U.S.-Thailand FTA & Agriculure U.S.-Thailand FTA & Labor U.S.-Thailand FTA & Access to Medicines U.S.-Thailand FTA Overview The U.S. Trade Representative\u2019s office has begun […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":180,"menu_order":36,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":[],"yoast_head":"\nU.S.-Thailand Free Trade Agreement - Citizens Trade Campaign<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.citizenstrade.org\/ctc\/trade-policies\/potential-trade-agreements\/u-s-thailand-free-trade-agreement\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"U.S.-Thailand Free Trade Agreement - Citizens Trade Campaign\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"U.S.-Thailand FTA Overview U.S.-Thailand FTA News U.S.-Thailand FTA & Agriculure U.S.-Thailand FTA & Labor U.S.-Thailand FTA & Access to Medicines U.S.-Thailand FTA Overview The U.S. Trade Representative\u2019s office has begun […]\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.citizenstrade.org\/ctc\/trade-policies\/potential-trade-agreements\/u-s-thailand-free-trade-agreement\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Citizens Trade Campaign\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2011-05-06T19:18:03+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.citizenstrade.org\/ctc\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.citizenstrade.org\/ctc\/\",\"name\":\"Citizens Trade Campaign\",\"description\":\"Working Together for Social and Environmental Justice in Trade Policy\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.citizenstrade.org\/ctc\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.citizenstrade.org\/ctc\/trade-policies\/potential-trade-agreements\/u-s-thailand-free-trade-agreement\/#webpage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.citizenstrade.org\/ctc\/trade-policies\/potential-trade-agreements\/u-s-thailand-free-trade-agreement\/\",\"name\":\"U.S.-Thailand Free Trade Agreement - 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