Owing to the multifarious positive factors, Thailand has become
one of most active participants among the other ASEAN
member countries to take advantage of this free trade deal, even
though the country has been undergoing political instability
since Thaksin was overthrown by coup in September 2006. In
addition to follow the normal schedule of tariff reduction of
CAFTA, Thai government signed with Chinese government an
agreement on accelerating tariff elimination under the Early
Harvest programme over a two-year period, and to be continued
afterward. Although “earlier harvest” of CAFTA has caused
some problems to the farmers of both sides, the Thai government
is still firmly committed to the deal. It has formed a joint
working group with China to survey the problems and obstacles
in importing and exporting agro-products of the two countries.
Thai Minister of Agriculture and Cooperation signed with
China’s General Administration of Quality Supervision a
memorandum of understanding (MOU) in November 2009 with
an aim to provide more opportunities for traders in the two
countries to market their farm products1
. The expansion of free