รายงานวิจัยฉบับสมบูรณ์ เรื่อง มาตรการทางกฎหมายและการปรับตัวของประเทศไทยต่อการเปิดเสรีด้านบริการในสาขาวิศวกรรมภายใต้กรอบการค้าเสรีอาเซียน (ASEAN Framework Agreement on Service-AFAS) และระบบการค้าโลกใหม่ : โอกาสและผลกระทบ

At this time when ASEAN trade in services has reached its apex of growth and development, and while social factors (inducing but not limited to problems related to aging society or declination of fertility rate) as well as economic factors (including but not limited to China's "Going Global Strategy"-the New Silk Road policy) play important roles in either supporting or barring a country from development, added by the fact that there is now higher mobility of trade in engineering services in the region due to ASEAN Framework Agreement on Services, Thailand will highly likely face shortfall of qualified engineers and experience challenges in domestic engineering service sector in the near future. Despite increasing numbers of higher education institutions offering degrees in engineering, which should in theory, have a positive effect on the shortfall, the volume of engineers to be available will unlikely be sufficient basing on higher demand of ASEAN members for needed infrastructures in response to regional development. Thus, an inevitable effect, which Thailand will likely encounter, is the lack of "tools" to sustain its future development on investment in real sector in the country that is viewed significant for Thailand's production of goods and services; the readiness to uphold and meet the region's economic growth. According to the research, Thailand's commitments under ASEAN framework on liberalization in trade in engineering services and its current domestic laws are inconsistent. and incompatible with above-stated social and economic factors at both national and regional levels. By comparing to those of Malaysia, the country likely adopts and relies too much on protectionist approach rather than proactive approach. Such commitments of Thailand are observed to have been stipulated almost in the same manner across all other international liberalization of trade in engineering services frameworks despite their time of initiation. Moreover, they lack integral character and do not take the global trend of trade liberalization in engineering services into account. Hence, the research suggests that Thailand should urgently amend its domestic laws and draw strategic frameworks to systematically liberalize its engineering services sector. In this regard, the government should set a clear goal of actions. It is argued by view of this research paper that this change should be done in a proactive manner on engineering service. sectors that Thailand is good at (i.e. civil engineer), together with integral approach to draw cooperation from departments concerned. The research also recommends the government to maintain a partial protectionism policy, by gradually liberalizing on a voluntary basis the engineering sectors, which Thailand is not entirely ready to liberalize or which quality of the foreign engineers is of a concern to the safety issues and hence should be controlled. This should take into account the balance between 1) benefits that Thailand will enjoy from allowing foreign engineers or foreign business entry who provide engineering services, and 2) measures which are necessary and appropriate for quality controls of professional and safety standards as well as measures to encourage and develop Thai service providers' capabilities to meet the level of liberalization as in Malaysia. This is strongly suggested to be carried on in order to maximize the benefits of knowledge and technology transfer, and innovation. The aim should also be to decrease the shortfall of qualified engineers and increase the capabilities of the domestic engineering sector to improve its competitiveness in the global market, which will in tum shape Thailand's sustainable economic development for the future. Nevertheless, incentives cannot be created without necessary dialogues and practice framework from the government to build up an understanding between individuals (i.e. engineers) and relevant government offices (i.e. Department of Trade Negotiations, Council. of Engineers). Such understanding should enable them to be aware of, lessen the opposition to, and have positive attitude toward liberalization of trade in engineering services. This will especially build up strength and efficiency Thailand's engineering service industry in the long run.