PH’s trade row with Thailand unresolved
Credit to Author: Tyrone Jasper C. Piad| Date: Wed, 27 Nov 2019 16:50:10 +0000
THE Philippines failed to settle its dispute with Thailand over a World Trade Organization (WTO) ruling on cigarette shipments during the recent Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations)-Republic of Korea Commemorative Summit.
On the sidelines of an event in Pasay City on Wednesday, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez attributed the failure to the non-attendance of his Thai counterpart at the November 25–26 summit held in Busan, South Korea.
“Wala ‘yung minister … Hinanap ko, wala eh (The Thai minister did not attend. I tried to find my counterpart, but to no avail),” Lopez explained.
The Trade chief told The Manila Times last week that a bilateral meeting had been set between Manila and Bangkok during the summit.
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) would try to reach out to Thailand again to discuss the matter, he said.
“We’ll communicate again. We didn’t get the chance. We’ll write them directly,” Lopez added.
Lopez earlier said the country might restrict all vehicle imports from Thailand as a retaliatory measure if it refused to abide by the ruling.
In July, WTO ruled in favor of the Philippines’ claim that Thailand violated the policies on valuation for cigarette shipments through underdeclaration. The organization mandates that customs value of imported goods be measured at transaction value or the “price actually paid or payable for the goods when sold for export to the country of importation.”
Thailand’s action, the DTI said, was seen to be harming Filipino tobacco farmers, the private sectors of both countries, export interests and bilateral relations.
In a related development, the Trade department said it was also reviewing the application for safeguard measures on automobile imports amid a surge in inbound shipments.
The DTI-Bureau of Import Services was assessing the proposal filed by the Philippine Metal Workers Alliance, a labor group.