SL-Thailand FTA to be inked on February 3

The signing of the proposed Sri Lanka-Thailand Free Trade Agreement (SLTFTA) is expected to take place on February 3, 2024 following the completion of final negotiations next month, the Government Information Department said.
In line with agreements reached during negation rounds 06 and 07, the Cabinet of Ministers this week approved a customs levy release programme.
This programme aims to release 80 percent of combined categorised serial numbers over 15 years, partially release 5 percent within 15–18 years, and exclude the remaining 15 percent from the list. 
This decision was made upon submission by President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Following the FTA, Thailand is expected to support Sri Lanka’s bid to gain membership of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), a free trade agreement among the Asia-Pacific nations of Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.