RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE G/STR/Q1/THA/5
18November 1997
ORGANIZATION(97-5067)
Original: English Working Party on
State Trading Enterprises
STATE TRADING
Replies toQuestions Posed byNEW ZEALAND1Concerning
theArticle XVII Notification ofTHAILAND2
Thefollowing communication, dated 12November 1997, hasbeenreceived fromthePermanent
Mission ofThailand.
_______________
Questions
Thailand'snotificationdescribestheactivitiesofthePublicWarehouseOrganization(PWO)
regarding import access forpotatoes.
- Could Thailand provide some further details onthestructure ofthePWO?
- What istherelationship ofthePWO withtheMinistry ofCommerce? How is
thisbody funded?
- Areitspersonnel involved solely inallocating TQaccess, ordotheyhave other
responsibilities aswell?
Answers
1. ThePWO divides itsadministration intosixoffices/departments asfollows:
1.1 Office ofthePresident
TheOffice ofthePresident isresponsible forallsecretarial work, general business
management, legal matters, personnel, coordination within andoutside thePWO, Public
relations, training/seminar, etc.
1G/STR/Q1/NZL/2
2G/STR/N/2/THA.
./.G/STR/Q1/THA/5
Page2
1.2 Office oftheInternal Audit andControl
TheOfficeoftheInternalAuditandControlisresponsibleforvariousaspectsofinternal
auditing relating totheperformance ofthegeneral warehouse operations, procurement and
salesoftheproducts, financial matters, accounting andother assigned tasks.
1.3 Accounting andFinance Department
TheAccounting andFinance Department isresponsible forfinance andaccounting,
vehicles, storage andproperty maintenance.
1.4 Internal Trade Department
TheInternal Trade Department isresponsible forprocurement andsalesofdomestic
products suchasrice,fieldcrops andother consumer products, etc.
1.5 Foreign Trade Department
TheForeign Trade Department isresponsible forprocurement andsales including
customs process withregards toexportation andimportation ofvarious commodities. Besides,
itisalsoresponsible forallforeign affairs ofthePWO.
1.6 General Warehouse Department
Thegeneral Warehouse Department isresponsible forvarious storage andwarehouse
services suchastemporary storage, inventory record keeping andquality control withparticular
reference toagricultural products.
Atpresent, thePWO hasabout 400personnel intotal.
2. ThePWO isthesolestateenterprise under theMinistry ofCommerce. Itsworking capital
isgenerated from itsactivities.
3. Theactivities ofthePWO areasfollows:
3.1 warehouse services.
3.2 import andexport ofanykindofagricultural andindustrial merchandise under itsown
initiativeorthroughgovernmentdirectivetorelievedomesticsupplyshortagesonthecommercial
basis, and
3.3 trade inconsumer goods.