Thailand, Bhutan to sign FTA on Thursday

Thailand and Bhutan will sign their free trade agreement (FTA) at Government House on Thursday, Commerce Minister Pichai Naripthaphan announced on Wednesday.

Pichai stated that he has been assigned by the Cabinet to represent Thailand in signing the FTA contract with Bhutan at Government House. The ceremony will be witnessed by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay.

The FTA will be signed following the fourth round of negotiations, which took place in Bangkok from 17 to 19 February.

Pichai noted that the Thai-Bhutan FTA is the second agreement achieved during his tenure as Commerce Minister and will be Thailand’s 17th FTA overall.

He added that the Thai-Bhutan FTA would be Thailand’s first trade agreement with an Asian nation outside the South Asian group.

Last year, bilateral trade between Thailand and Bhutan amounted to 460.47 million baht, with Thailand exporting goods worth 457 million baht and importing 3.47 million baht worth of goods from Bhutan.