AEC pushed back 12 months

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Published: 19 Nov 2012 at 00.00
Newspaper section: News

PHNOM PENH: Asean leaders have decided to delay the launch of the Asean Economic Community (AEC) for 12 months from Jan 1 to Dec 31, 2015 to prepare the necessary regulations.

Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Thongloun Sisoulith told the Bangkok Post that Asean leaders have agreed the AEC could be launched on Dec 31, 2015.

Thai Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul said Asean economic ministers had previously agreed on a Jan 1, 2015 launch date for the AEC but said Sunday that much work still remains to be done.

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blob123
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Discussion 17 : 19 Nov 2012 at 22.2017
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Didn't we hear that already last week, they called it fuzzy or so, playing the ball. Why not get some experts from Europe and let them do the things, no asean country is able to handle this. It worked quite well in Europe before they started the same currency disaster.
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buckseeda
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Discussion 16 : 19 Nov 2012 at 17.1516
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I have that sinking feeling!

Still, look on the bright side, does this mean that we have a year extra to learn English?
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watchdog
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Discussion 15 : 19 Nov 2012 at 16.3915
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The AEC is a good idea, it will arrive, but it will do so late. The world is globalizing and countries that raise bogus sovereignty issues to protect vested local interests will just fall further behind the curve. Look at Thailand. Its no accident that we don't have 3G here yet and that Thailand is notorious for failing to meet its international obligations. Thailand has done fairly well, but it would have done far better if the rule of law was taken seriously. And ordinairy Thais suffer as a result.
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wakeup
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Discussion 14 : 19 Nov 2012 at 14.5314
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AEC, like the EU is a bad idea already proven to be disastrous. There is nothing wrong with cooperating and trading with your neighbors - but regional economic zones benefit special interests and allow them to run roughshod over the people. The PEOPLE did not come up with, ask for, or approve of the AEC. It is being silently pushed forward and insidiously imposed upon people, just like the EU.
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Eric
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Discussion 13 : 19 Nov 2012 at 14.0713
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Dis#12, ASEAN was formed thru a declaration in 1967 in Bangkok by Thailand (leading founder), Malaysia, Singapore, Phillipines & Indonesia. The vision is to creat a trade block supporting local manufacturers, no sovereign issues like land are in the declaration. AEC is not a sudden development but a progression of AFTA which plot the elimination of tariffs and non tariff barriers. So to argue Thailand has no time is to plan has no merits as AFTA was implemented in 1992. I am certain the legal references are in English which is the official language of all ASEAN agreement and communiques.
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Bangon
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Discussion 12 : 19 Nov 2012 at 12.5412
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Please correct me where I'm wrong, or confirm when this is true, thank you:
1) The basic ASEAN Treaty has still not been ratified by the Thai Parliament.
(So Thailand is still not officially an ASEAN Member State)
2) Some already made ASEAN agreements will make changes into the Thai Constitution compulsory.
(f.i. ASEAN citizens and companies allowed up to 75% of land ownership in all ASEAN countries)
3) The ASEAN legal reference texts will be written in the English language.
(For ASEAN matters, no supremacy of Thai version anymore, even in front of Thai Courts)
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Eric
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Discussion 11 : 19 Nov 2012 at 12.0311
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Get ready or not, AEC will arrive. It's a big boost to the market as it opens up, especially with Mynmar and Laos. If these frontiers markets are not afraid of the coming of AEC and have started preparations, why should Thailand be whining. We are in better position to made the changes. Just because of some poorly manage companies getting cold feet and making the noise, rest are getting ready for AEC with optimism.
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robins
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Discussion 10 : 19 Nov 2012 at 11.3610
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Very sad the con job the public is getting about the benefits of ASEAN. Will this turn out like NAFTA did in North America with factories moving across the Mexican border to pay lower wages, or like the EU, with British workers replaced by lower paid Polish workers in their own Country?
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mutley
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Discussion 9 : 19 Nov 2012 at 10.489
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I shouldn't really say,'I told you so in an earlier thread'. But I will! 2025? How about never.
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Ian
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Discussion 8 : 19 Nov 2012 at 10.358
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They can legislate as much as they like but unless they solve the China problem it will be a futile exercise. Not that it matters for Thailand, she will never get anywhere until she improves her English language capabilities.
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AEC pushed back 12 months | Bangkok Post: news