IN BRIEF
NEW DELHI
India-Thailand free-trade agreement looks likely by middle of the year
India may sign a free-trade agreement (FTA) with Thailand by end of June, IANS reported Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath as saying here on Wednesday. "We are in the process of including more content in the bilateral trade relationship and we are hoping to finalise it by end-June," Kamal Nath told reporters after meeting Thai Commerce Minister Krirk-krai Jirapaet. "We have discussed ways to increase two-way investment and we have also set up a joint business council to look into the matter," he added. A framework agreement for establishing an FTA between the two countries was signed by the governments in October 2003 in Bangkok, covering goods, services and investment and areas of cooperation. According to Commerce Ministry officials, the ministers also discussed ways to increase the two-way trade from the current US$2.28 billion (Bt79.8 billion) to $10 billion by 2010. India's exports to Thailand registered growth of 20 per cent in 2005-06 compared to the previous year, while imports surged by about 39 per cent. AVIATION LTU maintains daily Thai scheduleGerman carrier LTU International has said it will maintain a schedule of eight flights weekly linking Phuket, Bangkok, Munich and Duesseldorf, throughout the Thai summer. The new schedule will start on May 1, when many other airlines are reducing their flight frequencies during the low tourism season here. LTU said its improved network now offers 40 connecting flights for travellers leaving Thailand for destinations in Europe.
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