The cabinet meeting on Tuesday, 25 September 2012 has come to the following decision
The cabinet approved in the principle of the Ministry of Commerce’s draft announcement on importing quota iron and steel into the Kingdom according to an agreement between the Kingdom of Thailand and Japan for an economic partnership (no. 2) B.E… (amendment of iron and steel tariff according to announcement of the Ministry of Commerce) proposed by Ministry of Commerce. The draft had been passed to a committee on examining draft law and sub-law and then proposed to the cabinet for examination and further implementation.
According to Ministry of Commerce’s proposal, since Ministry of Commerce had issued the Royal Decree on tariff (no. 5) B.E. 2555 terminating Harmonized tariff system 2007 replaced by Harmonized tariff system 2012, Ministry of Commerce amended the iron and steel tariff according to Ministry of Commerce’s announcement on importing quota iron and steel into the Kingdom according to an agreement between the Kingdom of Thailand and Japan for an economic partnership B.E. 2550 which enables the Harmonized tariff system 2007 to be compatible with the Harmonized tariff system 2012.
Gist of the announcement: To terminate Ministry of Commerce’s notification on importing quota iron and steel into the Kingdom according to an agreement between the Kingdom of Thailand and Japan for an economic partnership B.E. 2550 and to replace the former one with this notification (draft no. 3)
The cabinet approved Ministry of Defense’s proposal, as follows:
1. To appoint Ministry of Defense to conclude an agreement on defense between the Ministry of Defense of the Kingdom of Thailand and the Ministry of National Defense of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam
2. To authorize Minister of Defense as a representative from Thailand to sign the agreement mentioned in 1.
3. In case details of the agreement need to be amended in the part which is not important, Ministry of Defense is authorized to take an appropriate action.
Ministry of Defense already amended wordings and content of the aforementioned agreement according to Office of the Council of State’s comment.
Ministry of Defense reported, as follows:
1. Ministry of Defense would like to conclude an agreement on defense between the Ministry of Defense of the Kingdom of Thailand and the Ministry of National Defense of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam with the purpose of establishing defense cooperation which will enhance security cooperation and stimulate relationship between armies of the two countries.
2. Concerning the gist of the agreement under the law framework, two parties promote and enhance defense cooperation, but not the ones under the following aspects namely 2.1 discussion on defense and national security policy 2.2 studying and joint exercise 2.3 joint reconnaissance 2.4 defense intelligence 2.5 human resources development 2.6 science and technology 2.7 Logistics 2.8 defense industry 2.9 peacekeeping mission and humanitarian assistance 2.10 counter-terrorist effort 2.11 military medical services 2.12 counter-nontraditional security effort
The agencies assigned by the parties will state the gist and pattern of the aforementioned cooperation in details which must be compatible with the agreement.
The cabinet approved in the principle of the draft agreement on IMT-GT (Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle) Coordinating Center establishment by adopting paragraph 1 of Article 190 the Constitution of Thailand since it is considered the three countries’ cooperation on developing the area. The Minister to the Prime Minister’s Office (Mr. Niwattamrong Boonsongpaisal) proposed this issue.
In this regard, Minister to the Prime Minister’s Office on behalf of Minister to the IMT-GT framework signed the agreement on IMT-GT Coordinating Center establishment and affirmed Thailand’s commitment to supporting the establishment of the IMT-GT Coordinating Center during the 18th Ministerial Meeting on IMT-GT framework on September 27, 2012 at Malaysia. Moreover, Minister to the Prime Minister’s Office is assigned to submit the draft agreement on IMT-GT Coordinating Center establishment to the parliament for the latter’s approval before the signing ceremony. The Office of the Council of State expressed its view that the draft agreement on IMT-GT Coordinating Center establishment must be approved by the parliament according to paragraph 2 of the Article 190 of the Constitution of Thailand. Concerning the annual budget for the IMT-GT Coordinating Center, Office of the National Economic and Social Development Board is authorized to implement by following the Bureau of the Budget’s comment.
The cabinet approved Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives’ proposal to establish ASEAN Coordinating Center for Animal Health and Zoonoses: ACCAHZ establishment in Thailand.
Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives proposed the cabinet, as follows:
1. ASEAN Sectoral Working Group on Livestock: ASWGL formed Regional Coordinating Mechanism on Animal Health and Zoonoses: RCM under the ASEAN framework. ASWGL serves as a center coordinating intra-ASEAN working groups and inter-ASEAN working groups with international organizations working on animal health and zoonoses containment.
2. According to the outcome of Special Senior Official Meeting of the 32nd Meeting of the ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry (Special Som-32nd AMAF) at Cambodia during August 8-9, 2012, the meeting approved ASWGL’s proposal for establishing RCM office in Thailand and Malaysia. The meeting also named RCM as ASEAN Coordinating Center for Animal Health and Zoonoses: ACCAHZ whose task is to cooperate with regional organizations, international organizations, and other organizations working on animal health and zoonoses in the region.
3. ASEAN hired consultants to study the possibility of establishing RCM under the theme “Strengthening ASEAN Regional Coordination of Animal Health and Zoonoses” by Nigel Perkins and his working group. The outcome of the study shows that an appropriate location of RCM is either Bangkok, Thailand or Jakarta, Indonesia since they are places where representatives from member states easily travel to. They are also the places where international organizations such as FAO, OIE find it convenient to coordinate. Moreover, there are a number of regional organizations located there.
4. The establishment of ACCAHZ is divided into 3 phases such as phase 1: preparation (2011-2014), phase 2: establishment (2013), and phase 3: operation (since 2016). The location must be qualified according to the following criteria: being politically stable and technically renowned from member states, being well-equipped with infrastructure (buildings, finance, travelling, and accommodation), being supported by host state (buildings, personnel, finance, and privileges), being the center of member states (convenient to travel to), and being well-equipped with appropriate cost of living. ACCAHZ is composed of full-time personnel and agencies such as Epidemiology Network Coordination, Laboratory Network Coordination, Program coordination and operations Unit. The center is financially supported by the budget from ASEAN Animal Health trust Fund (AAHTF), donation from member states and other organizations.
5. From the aforementioned criteria, Thailand is ready for every criterion. In September, 2012, there is Special Senior Official Meeting of the 34th Meeting of the ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry (Special SOM-34th AMAF) at Lao People’s Democratic Republic. In this regard, Thailand needs to express its firm attitude and readiness to provide a location for ACCAHZ in Thailand. An approval from the cabinet is required.
6. The establishment of ASEAN Coordinating Center for Animal Health and Zoonoses: ACCAHZ in Thailand is an international agreement and compatible with the government’s policy. Thailand benefits from the establishment, as follows:
6.1. Thailand can express its leadership in the region concerning Zoonoses containment, protection, and elimination.
6.2. ACCAHZ in Thailand under the aforementioned framework is an efficient agency to utilize resources such as budget, and experts to deal with Zoonoses.
6.3. Thailand can direct the regional Zoonoses development and containment which helps contain Zoonoses possibly spreading to Thailand such as Avian Influenza, Foot and Mount Disease and etc.
7. The establishment of ACCAHZ in Thailand needs the agreement approved by the Article 190 of the Constitution of Thailand. It is an agreement between the state and international organization according to article 2 (a) of the Vienna Convention on law and agreement between state and international organization. It is also binding; therefore, Thai government needs to propose the issue to the cabinet for approval.
The cabinet approved Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment’s proposal, as follows:
1. The cabinet approved the Bangkok Resolution on ASEAN Environmental Cooperation.
2. The cabinet appointed Minister of Natural Resources and Environment or representative to adopt the resolution with ASEAN Ministers on Environment during the 12th official ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Environment. In case the agreement needs to be amended in the part which is not important or not contradicting with Thailand’s interest, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is authorized to take an appropriate action without proposing the cabinet once again.
Gist of the Bangkok Resolution on ASEAN Environmental Cooperation aims at declaring a joint commitment to coping with the world’s environmental challenges such as climate change, trans-boundary smog, and loss of biological diversity. ASEAN member states follow the ASEAN commitment to achieve Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) as well as stimulate a concrete effort to sustainably protect, preserve, and utilize ASEAN biological diversity. The achievement is through following the Strategic Plan to Preserve Biological Diversity 2010-2020, and Aichi Target on Biological Diversity, encouraging a sustainable water management, boosting cooperation to contain wildfire and trans-boundary smog by continuously conducting monitoring and containing activities. In addition, there is an activity to stimulate cooperation on forest revival and deforestation reduction with the purpose of preventing the loss of biological diversity and increasing the regional Carbon storage.
--Cabinet Meeting (Yingluck Shinawatra) September 25, 2012--