SOUTHEAST ASIA SINGLE MARKET : Nesac ordered to cooperate with other members of Asean

SOUTHEAST ASIA SINGLE MARKET : Nesac ordered to cooperate with other members of Asean.

ANUCHA CHAROENPO

The National Economic and Social Advisory Council has been ordered to work on Thailand's long-term direction in cooperation with other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), to prepare for the bloc's plan to become a single market in 2015. The study, ordered by Prime Minister Gen Surayud Chulanont, is part of a plan to strengthen collaboration within Asean to push for economic and political progress in the region.

''I would like the National Economic and Social Advisory Council to study the matter as I believe that there will be a considerable change in this region over the next 10 years,'' he told a meeting of the council.

''Thailand will now take this opportunity to develop our society, politics and economics under the framework of Asean,'' added the prime minister, who will leave for the Asean summit in Cebu today.

He said closer Asean cooperation will make the region borderless, as citizens with legal travelling documents will be able to travel more conveniently, creating labour mobility in the region.

Gen Surayud said he had discussed the concept of Asean cooperation with Laos, Burma and Vietnam and they had all agreed to go ahead with it.

Laos asked Thailand to help build a railway to the landlocked country from Udon Thani and Nakhon Phanom, and expand more road links to boost its trade and investment.

Burma sought more cooperation on energy and transport development, and Vietnam and Thailand would collaborate on rice trade, according to the prime minister.

Council chairman Gothom Areeya agreed with the need for closer cooperation in Asean and called for the setting up of an Asean Economic and Social Advisory Council to promote economic and political prosperity among its members

Bangkok Post
Friday January 12, 2007