ID :
164208
Sat, 02/26/2011 - 13:24
Auther :

Regional business operators urged to exercise tax privileges

BANGKOK, Feb 26 (TNA) - Thai Deputy Commerce Minister Alongkorn Ponlaboot is leading a Thai delegation to attend the 17th ASEAN Economic Ministers’ (AEM) Retreat in Vientiane, Laos' capital, held from February 26-27, during which, he said, he will encourage the regional private sector to exercise tax privileges available in the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC)--scheduled to be formed by 2015.

Alongkorn acknowledged before his departure to the Lao capital that agenda of the 17th AEM Retreat include solutions to obstacles to the establishment of the AEC, namely relevant regulations, laws, procedures and protocols, and that the two-day meeting will also discuss promotion for regional private business operators to exercise tax privileges available in the AEC and will focus on the third pillar of the AEC--which is to narrow development gaps among member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and on the future of the AEC after 2015. Besides, the meeting will consider efficient coordination between public and private sectors in ASEAN.

Two-way trade between Thailand and other Southeast Asian nations exceeded 74 billion US dollars or over 2.3 trillion baht last year, accounting for some 26.8 per cent of the Kingdom's total trade.

Alongkorn said he is confident that the AEC will further boost Thailand's external trade considerable--through increased Thai exports to other Southeast Asian nations, from over 1.4 trillion baht last year. (TNA)

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