The US-China trade dispute is a serious concern for Thailand that has the potential to undermine global business, Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said yesterday.
“We have to alleviate this tension and create a greater balance,” Prayuth said in a speech at the Bloomberg ASEAN Business Summit in Bangkok.
The trade dispute has led to “greater uncertainty in the global economic situation and greater competition,” he said, adding that Thailand was trying to expedite the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership trade agreement.
Photo: Bloomberg
“Even though the economy appears to slow down, the Thai economy still has good fundamentals for future growth,” Prayuth said. “The [Thai] government will continue with the focus on infrastructure projects, investments in key industrial zones and support for the agricultural sector.”
Referencing the contested March 24 election that saw him win a second term in office, Prayuth said: “I can assure the private sector that ASEAN and Thailand are ready.”
Lawmakers backed Prayuth to return as prime minister in a parliamentary vote held more than two months after a disputed general election in March. The former army chief seized power in a coup in 2014 after a period of unrest, ushering in one of Thailand’s longest spells under a junta until this year’s vote.
He now leads a sprawling 19-party, pro-military coalition with only a slim majority in the elected lower house, leading to speculation that his administration might struggle to complete its four-year term.
An opposition bloc that is critical of what it sees as the continuation of military rule controls almost half of the lower house, raising the possibility of friction that could hamper policymaking.
Prayuth was elected prime minister in a joint vote of the elected lower chamber and junta-appointed Thai Senate.
His return marks a victory for the military and royalist elite in Bangkok, who have used the courts or coups to overturn election results for more than a decade to prevent exiled former Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra or his allies from retaining power.
The incoming administration faces the weakest economic growth since 2014 as exports, investment and tourism fizzle.
Prayuth has prioritized infrastructure and technological upgrades, as well as removing red tape, to bolster the outlook for Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy.
Some major projects were slowed by the delay in government formation after the March election.
Prayuth’s choice of Cabinet ministers needs endorsement by Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn and key policies are expected to be unveiled by next month.
Thailand is the chair of the ASEAN this year and hosting the 34th summit of the 10-nation bloc’s leaders, which ends tomorrow.
The government has said that Thailand would use its position as ASEAN chair to push for the finalization of the 16-nation Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership — which is backed by China — before the end of this year.
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