ID :
45176
Wed, 02/11/2009 - 22:33
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/45176
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Thailand urged to reconsider Foreign Business Act
BANGKOK, Feb 11 (TNA) - US ambassador to Thailand Eric G. John on Wednesday urged the Thai government to ease some restrictions contained in the Foreign Business Act, to facilitate foreigners doing business in the kingdom.
Thai Commerce Minister Pornthiva Nakasai told reporters after meeting with Mr. John that the envoy expressed concern over some restrictions in the Act, such as a foreign executive being required by the Thai law to attend an executive board meeting, which he said might cause inconvenience to foreign businesspersons who live abroad.
Mrs. Pornthiva said the issue is now under consideration by the Council of State and the ministry would bring up the issue to the Cabinet. The commerce minister also said she would explain to the US authorities during her official visit to the United States next month the progress had made in Thailand's efforts to stamp out counterfeit and pirated products.
Thailand hoped that its suppression of copyright piracy would influence the US government's decision to remove the country from its 'Priority Watch List' to the 'Watch List', Mrs. Pornthiva said.
The US Trade Representative Office (USTR) placed Thailand and 11 other countries, including China, India and Russia, on its ''Priority Watch List'' of countries to be closely monitored regarding their protection of intellectual property rights.
The downgrading came after Thailand's Public Health Ministry in the military-installed Surayud government enforced compulsory licensing on imported key drugs in 2007, which drew ire from US pharmaceutical companies. The United States, however, denied the decision was in response to Thailand's enforcement of compulsory licensing.
Mrs. Pornthiva said she had clarified to the US envoy that the Thai government's enforcement of compulsory licensing on some particular drugs was aimed at providing increased medical access to people at the grass-roots level.
The Thai government normally held talks with patent holders of a drug prior to any overriding of copyright, the commerce minister said. (TNA)
Thai Commerce Minister Pornthiva Nakasai told reporters after meeting with Mr. John that the envoy expressed concern over some restrictions in the Act, such as a foreign executive being required by the Thai law to attend an executive board meeting, which he said might cause inconvenience to foreign businesspersons who live abroad.
Mrs. Pornthiva said the issue is now under consideration by the Council of State and the ministry would bring up the issue to the Cabinet. The commerce minister also said she would explain to the US authorities during her official visit to the United States next month the progress had made in Thailand's efforts to stamp out counterfeit and pirated products.
Thailand hoped that its suppression of copyright piracy would influence the US government's decision to remove the country from its 'Priority Watch List' to the 'Watch List', Mrs. Pornthiva said.
The US Trade Representative Office (USTR) placed Thailand and 11 other countries, including China, India and Russia, on its ''Priority Watch List'' of countries to be closely monitored regarding their protection of intellectual property rights.
The downgrading came after Thailand's Public Health Ministry in the military-installed Surayud government enforced compulsory licensing on imported key drugs in 2007, which drew ire from US pharmaceutical companies. The United States, however, denied the decision was in response to Thailand's enforcement of compulsory licensing.
Mrs. Pornthiva said she had clarified to the US envoy that the Thai government's enforcement of compulsory licensing on some particular drugs was aimed at providing increased medical access to people at the grass-roots level.
The Thai government normally held talks with patent holders of a drug prior to any overriding of copyright, the commerce minister said. (TNA)
