Thailand still has until 2017 before reaching a decision on whether to become a member of the Trans-Pacific Strategic Economic Partnership Agreement, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said on Friday.
"Thailand still has time to carefully study additional details. We are not shutting ourselves out,"
Prayut said in his weekly TV programme "Returning Happiness to People in the Country".
Prayut was responding after voices in the business sector warned that the country may have missed its chance to become a TPP member and if this were the case the country would lose a huge business opportunity as it was in dire need to boost the sluggish economic growth.
Prayut said the Ministry of Commerce had invited the Federation of Thai Industries, the Board of Trade and the Thai Bankers Association to discuss the matter.
He said becoming a TPP member would be beneficial to the country and would have an influencing affect on investors.
However, some business representatives remain worried about how Thailand will compete in the exportation of goods known as sensitive products.
Prayut said Thailand had free trade agreements with nine of the 12 TPP member countries.
