'Ink Japanese FTA by July'.

(From The Nation (Thailand))

Byline: The Nation.

The University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce yesterday urged the new government to sign a bilateral free-trade agreement (FTA) with Japan by July, to add momentum to exports and investment in the fourth quarter.

Aat Pisanwanich, director of the university's Centre of International Trade Studies, told a press conference that the Thai-Japanese FTA would boost gross domestic product growth 0.1 percentage point to 4.1 per cent this year.

The signing of the pact was scheduled for April 3 but was postponed due to the snap election here on April 2.

Caretaker commerce Minister Somkid …