The cabinet met on Tuesday, August 27, 2013. Some of the decisions are as follows:
Following the resolution made by the first Cabinet Subcommittee (economics) in its 5/2556 meeting chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong on August 22, 2013, the Cabinet:
1. Approved in principle the draft ministerial announcement of Ministry of Commerce on on 2013 importation of agricultural products under Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS)’s cooperation on contract farming with the neighboring countries, B.E. ... as proposed by Ministry of Commerce.
2. Agreed with the suggestions of Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Ministry of Industry and Office of the National Economics and Social Development Board (NESDB), and assigned Ministry of Commerce to take the suggestions into consideration for further procedures.
The Cabinet approved in principle a draft royal decree on the establishment of Institute of Promotion of Occupational Health, Safety and Environment (Public Organization) (IPOSE), B.E. ..., as proposed by Ministry of Labor, and assigned Office of the Council of State to examine the draft and incorporate suggestions of Ministry of Public Health, Ministry of Industry, and Office of the Public Sector Development Commission (OPDC) in its consideration before proceeding further.
Gist of the draft royal decree
1. Establish the Institute of Promotion of Occupational Health, Safety and Environment (Public Organization) (IPOSE) as a public organization, aiming to promote occupational health, safety and environment.
2. The Cabinet is granted full authority to oversee and supervise the operation of IPOSE to be in accordance with the laws and objectives of the establishment, as well as the government policy.
3. Designate a transitory provision to assign the Cabinet to legally proceed in approving the transfer of authority, duty, properties, assets, rights, debts, and budget related to occupational health, safety and environment from the Bureau of Occupational Safety and Health, Department of Labor Protection and Welfare, to IPOSE once the royal decree is effective.
Following the suggestion from Ministry of Energy, the Cabinet agreed with the request for permission to use the 1 A watershed area for the construction of natural gas pipeline from the border of Thailand and Myanmar to BVW01 gas control station for the approximate distance of 287 meters.
Following the suggestion from Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Cabinet,
1. Approved the implementation of the ASEAN-U.S. Partnership for Good Governance, Equitable and Sustainable Development and Security (ASEAN-U.S. PROGRESS) and ASEAN Connectivity through Trade and Investment (ACTI).
2. Agreed for the ASEAN Secretary-General to sign an exchange of notes on the acceptance of U.S. proposals, and for Ministry of Foreign Affairs to inform ASEAN Secretariat, through the Permanent Mission of Thailand to ASEAN in Jakarta, that the Government of Thailand approves the implementation of ASEAN-U.S. PROGRESS and ACTI project.
Gist
1. Objective of the ASEAN-U.S. PROGRESS is to enhance ASEAN capacity in selected areas, such as promotion of good governance, cooperation on anti-transnational crimes, preparation for new types of security threats, promotion of human rights, protection and promotion of women and children rights, cooperation on labor, natural disaster management, and human resource development.
2. Objectives of ACTI are to support the achievement of economic integration’s goal and trade and investment cooperation, as well as to facilitate ASEAN-U.S. economic cooperation, such as capacity enhancement of ASEAN’s one-stop custom protocol (ASEAN Single Window), trade facilitation, clean energy development, development of small and medium enterprises, and development of information technology.
The two aforementioned projects are technical assistances offered by the U.S. with an aim to develop competency of ASEAN’s specific organizations. The U.S. is to allocate 5-year budget through United States Agency for International Development (USAID) for the implementation of ASEAN-U.S. PROGRESS project (13 million USD) and ACTI project (16.2 million USD).
The Cabinet agreed and approved Ministry of Commerce’s proposals as follows:
1. Agreed with the draft protocol for the amendment of ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA FTA) which will be forwarded to the House of Representatives for its consideration.
2. Approved the signing of draft protocol for the amendment of ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement following the House of Representatives’ approval. Minister of Commerce or an authorized person is to sign the aforementioned draft protocol. Should necessity arise to amend the wording of inessentials parts that will not result in the country’s loss of benefits, Ministry of Commerce may proceed without the Cabinet’s further approval.
3. Assigned Ministry of Foreign Affairs to issue the Full Powers for Minister of Commerce or an authorized person to sign the draft protocol for the amendment of ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement.
4. Assigned Ministry of Commerce to coordinate with other concerned offices on the compliance with the obligations inscribed in the protocol for the amendment of ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement.
5. Assigned Ministry of Commerce to coordinate with Ministry of Foreign Affairs on notifying members of ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement (AANZFTA FTA) that Thailand is ready to be bounded under the Protocol after the House of Representatives’ approval and other concerned offices’ implementation of the procedure in 4.
--Cabinet Meeting (Yingluck Shinawatra) August 27, 2013--