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PM to visit Vietnam on 10 July

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 18:01:10 +0000

BANGKOK, 2 July 2009 (NNT) – Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva is scheduled to pay a one-day official visit to Vietnam on 10 July 2009 in order to strengthen bilateral relations and cooperation on rice trading.

Deputy Secretary-General to the Prime Minister Panithan Wattanayakorn stated that Prime Minister Abhisit, along with Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban and entourage, will travel to Vietnam to meet the country’s president, prime minister as well as the secretary-general of the Communist Party of Vietnam in an effort to strengthen bilateral cooperation between the two countries.

Dr Panithan informed that this round of visit will be aimed at fostering bilateral tie and cooperation with Vietnam on various issues including trade, investment, tourism, and transport. He said an emphasis will be placed on rice trading and a joint establishment of a regional rice stock as Thailand and Vietnam were the top two rice exporters of the world. With the Strong Thailand scheme, roads and railways connecting China, Vietnam, and Cambodia will be further extended to Thailand, which will in turn facilitate rice transportation and trade.

The Thai Prime Minister and his working team will depart for Vietnam from the Royal Thai Air Force terminal at 12 pm on 10 July and return at 10.55 pm on the same day.

Thailand seeks review of Preah Vihear World Heritage Status

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 15:15:17 +0000

BANGKOK, June 17 (TNA) – Thailand will oppose the World Heritage Committee on its listing of Preah Vihear temple on the Thai-Cambodian border as a World Heritage site, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Wednesday.

Mr. Abhisit said Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting action assigned Minister of Natural Resources and Environment Suwit Khunkitti to lodge the objection at a World Heritage Committee meeting to be held in Spain against the United Nations for Education Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) which had granted the ancient temple World Heritage Site status.

Mr. Suwit, who will attend the meeting in his capacity as a member of the World Heritage Committee and not as representative of the Thai government, will air complaints that the listing of the temple might go against the charters of UNESCO and the World Heritage Committee, the prime minister said.

After the listing more armed clashes occurred between the two countries in the disputed area, Mr. Abhisit continued.

He said UNESCO will be asked to review its decision, as the disputed area is a valuable cultural entity itself and could be conserved to allow the peoples of both countries, as well as tourists, to visit the temple, which has become a conflict zone.

Mr. Abhisit said the “planned opposition will not come too late, as it will be on the agenda of the upcoming meeting.”

UNESCO granted Cambodia’s application for Preah Vihear temple to be designated a World Heritage Site in July 2008.

The listing was made at the time of the government of former Thai prime minister Samak Sundaravej.

The International Court of Justice ruled in 1962 that the Preah Vihear temple belongs to Cambodia, but the most accessible entrance begins at the foot of a mountain in Thailand, and both sides claim some of the surrounding territory.

“I personally want to see peace in the area and peoples of both countries receive benefit from the historical heritage site,” Mr. Abhisit said.

Panithan Wattanayakorn, deputy secretary-general to the prime minister, said the listing of the temple as the World Heritage site has affected the otherwise warm relations between the two countries.

Dr. Panithan reiterated that the Thai government’s planned objection was not directed at the Cambodia government, but rather at the international agencies which had created the problem. (TNA)

Thai Prime Minister to visit China June 24-27

Wed, 17 Jun 2009 14:23:56 +0000

BANGKOK, June 17 (TNA) – Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva will visit China on a four-day official visit next week, to boost economic cooperation between the two countries, Panithan Wattanayakorn, deputy secretary-general to the prime minister said on Wednesday.

Dr. Panithan said the prime minister will be accompanied by about 100-strong business delegation including key economic ministers, government officials and business leaders during his visit to Tianjin, Guangzhou and Beijing June 24-27.

The visit will enable Thailand to export more to China, a major Thai trading partner, and simultaneously persuade more Chinese tourists to visit and business interests to invest in the kingdom, he said.

During the visit, Mr. Abhisit will hold talks with his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao, call on President Hu Jintao, as well as meeting senior Chinese officials and businessmen, Dr. Panithan said.

The prime minister will also deliver a speech aimed encouraging tourism and investment in Thailand, he said.

The two countries are moving to raise bilateral trade to US$50 billion from US$36 billion in the next five years and to increase the number of Chinese tourists visiting Thailand to increase to four million annually, Dr. Panithan said. (TNA)