Negotiations on Agricultural Products
As a major exporter of agricultural goods, Thailand’s objectives in negotiations are to expand opportunities for trade and export of important goods such as rice, cassava,tropical fruits, as well as processed chicken and other food products. The Department of Trade Negotiation is a coordinating agency / a focal point in formulating Thai negotiating positions on agricultural products. In doing so, the Department coordinates closely with relevant public and private agencies to ensure that the positions taken reflect the country’s interests. The main objectives of Thailand agriculture negotiation can be stated as follows:
1. Developed and developing countries should lower import tariff barriers and increase import quotas for agricultural products to enhance market access and expand exports to the world market.
2. Developed countries, such as the United States and the European Union, should substantially reduce their tread-distorting domestic support andeliminate all forms of export subsidies for agricultural products to create a climate of equity and fairness in the world marketplace and strengthen Thai competitiveness of agricultural products.
Multilateral Negotiations on Agriculture
Thailand has joined with other countries in negotiations on agriculture to push forward the proposals that are consistent with the national interest and to create a bargaining power in the negotiations. These groups are:
••The Cairns Group, comprised of 19 developed and developing countries that are major exporters of agricultural products pushing for meaningful reforms in agriculture in the developed countries. Members of the group are:Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, The Philippines, South Africa, Thailand, and Uruguay. (
••The G20 Group,comprises 23 developing countries,exporting agricultural products and net food importers, expecting to see tangible reforms in agriculture in the developed countries and to push for special and differential treatment for developing nations. The G20 group of countries are: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, China, Cuba, Ecuador, Egypt, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, The Philippines, South Africa, Tanzania, Thailand, Uruguay, Venezuela and Zimbabwe. (
Bilateral /Regional Negotiations
In tandem with these multilateral negotiations, Thailand also undertakes bilateral talks with its major trading partners to gain greater market access through free trade agreements that enhance the competitiveness of Thai agricultural products in the partner’s markets, and reduce obstacles to trade such as tariff and technical barriers. The countries of ASEAN, Australia, New Zealand, China and Japan are among Thailand’s FTA partners. Further information is available at And, as a member of APEC, Thailand is bound to work towards completely opening agricultural trade by 2020 under the Bogor Goal. (
For further information, see the WTO Website: