Thailand wants to conclude free-trade agreement (FTA) talks with the European Free Trade Association (Efta), Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by the middle of next year to improve trade and investment.
The Thai-Sri Lankan FTA is of particular interest in terms of location, as Sri Lanka is in South Asia, with links to India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal, and Sri Lanka has a growing economy, said Auramon Supthaweethum, director-general of the Department of Trade Negotiations.
A Thai-Efta FTA is important for Thailand in terms of trading and sustainable development, she said. Efta comprises Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland.