The Department of Trade Negotiation said on Monday Thailand may miss the opportunity to sign the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Australia, India and China together with the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) members at a summit in Chaingmai on November 18 due to a constitutional act decree.

Trade Negotiation Permanent Secretary Chutima Boonyaprapas said that the matter have to get the House of Representatives approval, according to Act 190 of Thai constitutional law.

She said the law requirement has put Thailand lagging behind the neighboring countries for the opportunity to reach FTA deal with the three partners.

“Although there is no win-win situation for the FTA negotiation, the law has required too many processes and put us in a disadvantage position. We hope that the parliament will give conclusion to the issue quickly or Thailand may fall behind the rival ASEAN members,” Ms. Chutima commented.

She said Thailand has also lost the opportunity to sign FTA with South Korean together with the ASEAN member on November 24 due to law restriction.

Bantoon VongSilchote, vice president of FTA committee, voiced a concern that Thailand may lose several markets to its neighboring rivals if it does not jump into the FTA bandwagon.

Thai constitutional law drafted by military-installed writers after a coup de etat in 2006 deposing the ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinnawatra has tried to revoke the cabinet members’ authoritative power by eliminating legal-endorsement on their actions.