Decision on shrimp curb soon

US - The United States will decide by early August if it will stop charging Thai shrimp-exporters a bond on shipments. Nuntawan Sakuntanaga, deputy director-general of the Foreign Trade Department, said that if the US stopped collecting the bond Thailand would withdraw a World Trade Organisation complaint. Thailand has already filed a WTO petition over allegations the United States was using unfair trade practices to protect its local shrimp industry. Thailand has also indicated it would complain about the US demands for a bank guarantee on all Thai shrimp imports. Thailand claims the charge reduces the competitiveness of its shrimp. <i>Source: The Nation </i>