THAILAND RESUMES APPROVING AER-COVERED US SERVICES

UNCLAS BANGKOK 001391 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT PASS USTR FOR BWEISEL AND TPOSNER COMMERCE FOR JBENDER AND JKELLY E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: EINV TH SUBJECT: THAILAND RESUMES APPROVING AER-COVERED US SERVICES INVESTMENTS REF: BANGKOK 001170 ¶1. On March 7 we were notified by Commerce Ministry Permanent Secretary Karun Kittisataporn that his Ministry has resumed issuing approvals of applications for services investments by US citizens, per the provisions of the Treaty of Amity and Economic Relations (AER). Karun said he took this action after being notified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that the relevant provisions of the AER remain in force. ¶2. According to Karun, AER-covered applications will be accepted immediately, that is, as of March 7 US citizens again have AER benefits available to them. This action sets in motion the RTG's proposed approach to this issue, outlined in reftel. BOYCE