All Thai sectors urged to prepare for ASEAN

BANGKOK, June 25 (TNA) - Experts have called on all Thai sectors to adjust and prepare themselves for the upcoming integration of the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (ASEAN) in the form of the ASEAN Single Community by 2015. When making the call Monday at a seminar held by Bangkok-based Ramkamheang University on preparing Thai industrial leaders for the ASEAN Single Community, Vice Chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce Pornsilp Patcharintanakul and Ramkamheang University Rector Assistant Professor Wutisak Lapcharoensap noted that the majority of Thai people have been unaware and have not understood of the regional integration over the next three years although leading local business operators have already prepared themselves for the ASEAN Single Community, namely those in the export and service sectors. The experts suggested that local small and medium-scaled enterprises (SMEs) also beware of and prepare for the ASEAN Single Community, including reduced tariffs, modified laws and regulations and more aligned quality of their products to meet regional standards, insisting that the regional integration is believed to pave the way for further national and regional development in a more stable aspect than those pushed by the political sector. The two experts cautioned that all Thai sectors should beware of and prepare for free movements in all areas as well after the ASEAN Single Community is formed, including trade, services, education and even labour, projecting that there should be more free movements of skilled labours, rather than unskilled labours after the ASEAN Single Community is established. (TNA)