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Govt did sign rice agreement with China but not a binding promise to buy rice. No amount, price or time was given, just an vague "intention"

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Economics

Nothing definite in China rice deal

Officials agree to buy 'more' from Thailand
22/11/2012
Phusadee Arunmas & Chatrudee Theparat

A Commerce Ministry plan seeking a deal to sell 5 million tonnes of rice a year to China from 2013-15 turned out to be a complete farce, as the agreement signed yesterday is actually just a vague framework on rice trade.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by Commerce Minister Boonsong Teriyapirom and his Chinese counterpart Chen Deming during a visit by outgoing Premier Wen Jiabao simply calls for China to buy more rice from Thailand.

It fell short of specifying details about the amount or value of the rice or the delivery time frame.

"There's no precise time frame or quantity, as China did not want to be specific," said Tikhumporn Natvaratat, deputy director-general of the Foreign Trade Department.

Chookiat Ophaswongse, honorary president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association, said China is unwilling to give specifics for fear of public reproach if the price of domestic rice falls, as the government pledged to buy huge amounts of Thai rice.

"A remark [by Mr Boonsong] that the government is seeking a deal to sell 5 million tonnes of rice a year to China is completely irresponsible," said the outspoken industry veteran.

The minister just keeps telling white lies after claiming the government signed contracts to export as much as 7.3 millions tonnes of rice under the pledging scheme through government-to-government deals but remaining tight-lipped over the details of such sales.

Pornsil Patcharintanakul, a vice-chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said the MoU should be called a "letter of intent", as it involves no binding commitments.

"In practice, China can deny the purchase, because what they signed is just an intent and a piece of paper," he said

Nonetheless, Mr Tikumporn defended the MoU as a confirmation that the Chinese government will support the importation of Thai rice.

The Chinese government insists it will raise its rice imports from Thailand, as the country currently imports between 1.5 and 2 million tonnes of rice a year from foreign suppliers," ....

(Source: Bangkok Post, Economics, Nothing definite in China rice deal, Officials agree to buy 'more' from Thailand, 22/11/2012, Phusadee Arunmas & Chatrudee Theparat, link) 


International Agreements & MOUs Vocabulary

agreement - when two or more people make an arrangement promising to do something in the future สัญญา
sign agreement - when the two or more people making an agreement write their names (signatures) on a paper or document to show they agree
the agreement signed yesterday

memorandum - an informal legal agreement ข้อตกลง

memorandum of understanding (MoU) - a temporary written agreement between two organizations or governments that explains how they intend to do business with each other and what their relationship will be (See Wikipedia)

definite -  certain, for sure แน่นอน, แน่ชัด, ชัดเจน
nothing definite - meaning: nto definite
nothing definite in China rice deal

farce - a big joke (a situation that laughable and ridiculous and silly because it is a badly organized failure) 
a complete farce - a 100% farce

turned out to be - in the end the situation was .... (after many things happen) 
turned out to be a complete farce

a deal to sell 5 million tonnes of rice a year to China turned out to be a complete farce

framework - a system of rules, ideas or beliefs that is used to plan or decide something ขอบข่ายงาน, โครงร่าง
a vague framework

trade - the buying and selling of goods การค้าขาย
rice trade

vague - without details, not precise or exact; not complete, accurate or fully formed อย่างไม่ชัดเจน
a vague framework on rice trade

the agreement signed yesterday is actually just a vague framework on rice trade

counterpart - someone who has the same job or purpose as another person, but in a different country, time, situation or organisation ฝ่ายตรงข้าม หรือคนที่อยู่ในตำแหน่งเดียวกันของอีกประเทศ หรือ กลุ่มหนึ่ง

the Commerce Minister and his Chinese counterpart Chen Deming

outgoing - leaving a government position (example: the outgoing Financial Minister)
premier - the Prime Minister of a country 

outgoing premier
outgoing Premier Wen Jiabao

simply - meaning: nothing more than this simple thing (not the extra things that some people say it does)
calls for - say that someone should do something (but they don't have to do it, if they don't want to do it)
the agreement simply calls for ...

obligation - duty, responsibility หน้าที่, ภาระหน้าที่, ความรับผิดชอบ

actual - really, truly; what is real and true (not just a lie)
actual obligation -

the agreement simply calls for China to buy more rice from Thailand without any actual obligation to do so 

details - รายละเอียด
specifying details - giving details

fell short of ... - did not do this ... (did less than this ...)
fell short of specifying details

delivery - sending or giving something to another person
time frame - the period of time that something (task, project) is to be done
the delivery time frame

it fell short of specifying details about the amount or value of the rice or the delivery time frame

precise - exact and accurate in details แน่นอน, ถูกต้อง, เที่ยงตรง แม่นยำ
no precise time frame
no precise quantity

specific - saying exactly what something is, giving details, being precise
There's no precise time frame or quantity, as China did not want to be specific

deputy - a person who is given the power to do something instead of another person, or the person whose rank is immediately below that of the leader of an organisation รอง, ตัวแทน,ผู้รักษาการแทน
deputy director-general of the Foreign Trade Department

willing - wanting to do something
unwilling - not willing, nto wanting to do something
unwilling to give specifics

reproach - when people say you did something wrong, criticism, blame การตำหนิ, สิ่งที่ทำให้เสื่อมเสีย, ข้อตำหนิ
public reproach - when all or many of the people in country find you did something wrong
fear of public reproach

domestic - within the country ภายในประเทศ
domestic rice

price of domestic rice
the price of domestic rice falls

China is unwilling to give specifics for fear of public reproach if the price of domestic rice falls,

pledged - seriously promised to do something สาบาน
the government pledged to buy huge amounts of Thai rice

responsible - accountable,  reliable, trustworthy
มีความรับผิดชอบ,  เชื่อถือได้
irresponsible - do things without thinking about negative effects
completely irresponsible

remark - something that someone said คำพูด
the remark that the government is seeking a deal to sell 5 million tonnes of rice a year to China is completely irresponsible

veteran - a person who has a lot of experience in a particular area or activity ผู้อาวุโส
industry veteran

outspoken - giving your opinion strongly and honestly, even if other people do not like it พูดโผงผาง,พูดตรงไปตรงมา,พูดจาเปิดเผย
the outspoken industry veteran

white lie - a small lie that does not really hurt people much (See Wikipedia)
signed contracts

scheme - a plan that is developed by a government or large organisation in order to provide a particular service for people แผนการ โครงการ
the pledging scheme
government-to-government deals

tight - very close in score ที่มีคู่แข่งที่มีความสามารถใกล้เคียงกัน
tight-lipped - not saying anything about something
remaining tight-lipped

the minister just keeps telling white lies after claiming the government signed contracts to export as much as 7.3 millions tonnes of rice under the pledging scheme through government-to-government deals but remaining tight-lipped over the details of such sales.

intent - your plan or purpose จุดประสงค์
letter of intent

binding - when you must do what an agreement says ที่สัมพันธ์, สัญญาที่จะมีผลผูกมัดต่อเมื่อคู่สัญญาสนองรับ
commitment - promises, things you must do (because you promised to do them) พันธสัญญา
no binding commitments

the MoU should be called a "letter of intent", as it involves no binding commitments.

practice - something that people do regularly; a way of doing something การปฏิบัติ
In practice, ....  - the way it usually works, the way that people uusually or normally do it ...

deny - to not allow someone to have or do something ไม่ยอมรับ, ปฏิเสธ
purchase - buy
deny the purchase

"In practice, China can deny the purchase, because what they signed is just an intent and a piece of paper," he said

confirmation -  to say that something is certainly and definitely true (when people are not sure) การยืนยัน
support - help, by giving money, for example สนับสนุน

the minister defended the MoU as a confirmation that the Chinese government will support the importation of Thai rice.

insists - say that something is true (even when people do not believe it)
The Chinese government insists it will raise its rice imports from Thailand

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