00:00What is the update of BRICS currently and how long is the process for us to be part of the BRICS?
00:07So on BRICS, because it is under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it is not an economic bloc per se.
00:16There is no trade agreement, there is no economic agreement like IPEF,
00:23there is no economic supply chain agreement, green agreement, etc.
00:28It is the same as CPTPP, the same as RCEP.
00:32But BRICS is more like a diplomatic grouping for now, we don't know in the future.
00:37If there is a plan for trade agreement or economic cooperation, then MITI will be involved.
00:48For all I know, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has agreed to go ahead to start engaging BRICS.
00:58And I believe it has started to engage abroad.
01:01Because this year it is managed by Russia, next year it will be managed by Brazil.
01:06And there are some countries that have joined, like UAE, Iran.
01:12Thailand also wants to join. I think Egypt has also joined.
01:16So Thailand can express its position?
01:19At this stage, MITI will not be involved?
01:22At this stage, no. Because there is no trade agreement.
01:26But we don't lead it, so we are not led by MOFA.
01:31Usually all the other blocs we lead, except BRICS, because BRICS has no element.
01:36The element of economy is more indirect, small.
01:39So it is more political, diplomatic and security, I believe.
01:45But I think eventually, usually it can lead to economic cooperation.
01:49Because at the end of the day, it is trade and investment cooperation.
01:52That makes sense for it to be sustained.
01:56But for now, not yet.
01:59But we are in the team led by MOFA to look at this.
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