Thailand's head of economic policy, Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak, gave a strong public endorsement of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, a proposed Asiawide trade liberalization pact. "RCEP," he said, "is going to be a very important market for 

In a keynote address, Somkid said the deal "will encompass more than half of the world's population. The market size is going to be huge." The RCEP involves the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations plus Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea and New Zealand. Somkid said Thailand aims "to enhance its cooperation with RCEP countries going forward."  

The deputy prime minister gave a slightly more reserved nod to the 12-nation Trans-Pacific Partnership, saying: "Thailand is willing to join the TPP. The prime minister has appointed me as the committee chair to study the impact of participating in the TPP."

Credit and view full story at Nikkei