Official Statement of Pheu Thai Party on

The Demands of the European Parliament

  Mr.Surapong
Tovichakchaikul, a formerDeputy Prime Minister and Minister
of Foreign Affairs stated the party’s attitude towards the decision of the
European Parliament made on October 8, 2015, in regards to the European Parliament’s
expression of its immense concern at the deterioration of the human rights
situation in Thailand following “The illegal coup” in 2014. The
parliament urges the
Thai authorities to lift repressive restrictions on the right to liberty and  peaceful exercise of political activities,  to
transfer power from the military government to an elected government
immediately and to comply with international constitutions and obligations concerning
respect to the independence of the judiciary, freedom of expression and peaceful
assembly, including adhering to the rule of law.

  Pheu
Thai Party would like to make the following statement:

1. 
Pheu
Thai Party calls on the government and National
Council for Peace and Order” (NCPO) to recognize and place
importance on the issue addressed by the European Parliament in its decision
and should solve this issue seriously,  rather than announcing that the European
Parliament has misunderstood the situation in Thailand, as each EU member countries,
including the EU itself have closely followed several issues in Thailand since
the coup d’état in 2014. For this reason, the government
should recognize that the decision of the European Parliament will considerably
affect the country particularly the economy. Thus, it should solve the
problem rather than making excuses.

2. 
Trade
and investment from EU countries is vital to Thailand’s economy and its people’s
well-being, since the EU is Thailand’s third largest trading partner. The EU’s
decision not to resume the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiation and refuse to sign any
partnership and cooperation agreements with Thailand as long as the junta
remains in power will adversely affect the EU’s trade and investment in Thailand.
Thai exporters and entrepreneurs will lose the opportunity to export goods to
the EU. Farmers and producers will sell less and prices will be low. Therefore,
if the relationship with the EU deteriorates, it will affect exports to the EU
market, which is worth 750,000 million
baht per year.

3. 
Pheu
Thai Party hopes that the government and NCPO
will recognize the decision of the European Parliament and seriously take concrete
actions to protect human rights, political liberty, the rule of law and the
judicial system and issue a democratic constitution as well as organize free
and fair elections immediately, so that Thai people can determine their future
as soon as possible. Such actions, in addition are not only the basis of
reconciliation but also to prevent and avoid the risk of having economic
or political sanctions imposed
on the country which will negatively impact Thailand immensely.

  12October 2015

   Pheu Thai Party