The Thai leader urges Vietnam to facilitate expansion of Thai banking and insurance businesses
Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont has expressed satisfaction over the result of his official visit to Vietnam in which both countries agreed to strengthen bilateral relationship, particularly trade and investment.
General Surayud said upon his return from a one-day official visit to Vietnam last night (Oct 26) that the Thai and Vietnamese leaders saw the need to step up cooperation under the ASEAN framework, including regional transportation links for tourism purpose. Both sides welcomed the planned opening of the second Friendship Bridge across the Mekong in Mukdahan Province on December 2, this year. The bridge constitutes part of Highway No.9 running from Mukdahan to Vietnam via the central part of Laos.
In the field of investment, Thailand proposed that Vietnam open greater opportunity for Thai financial institutions and insurance companies to invest in the country. General Surayud remarked that Vietnam has been more lenient about its investment regulations to attract more foreign investors, in preparation for it to become a WTO member. At yesterday’s discussion, both countries set a target to raise the bilateral trade value to five billion US dollars per annum by 2010. Vietnam also urged Thai entrepreneurs to establish more SML (small, medium, large) industrial projects.
Besides, Vietnam has allowed Thai motorists to drive vehicles with a right-handed steering wheel in some parts of Vietnam and will also cooperate with Thailand in the exploration of natural gas.
General Surayud said he had agreed in principle with a proposal for the two governments to hold a joint Cabinet meeting. Details of the agenda and their appropriateness will be discussed between Thai and Vietnamese authorities concerned
ThaisNews - October 27, 2006.
Vietnamese premier pledges better ties with Thailand
HANOI - Thai Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont ended his one-day official visit to Vietnam on Thursday with the assurances of his counterpart to promote traditional ties between the two countries.
Thai Government Spokesman Yongyuth Mayalarp told journalists after the conclusion of Thursday's bilateral talks that Vietnamese prime minister Nguyen Tan Dung congratulated Gen. Surayud for his appointment as Thailand's prime minister and affirmed that the Vietnamese government would help promote improved ties between the two countries.
The September 19 coup in Thailand was not on the agenda of discussions for the two leaders.
The Vietnamese premier invited Thai investors to tap trade potential in Vietnam's investor-friendly growing economy--which will become the newest member of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) next month, Mr. Yongyuth said.
Prime Minister Surayud said he would take into consideration Mr. Dung's request that a joint Thai-Vietnamese cabinet meeting be organised to mutual benefit in the future, according to the Thai government spokesman.
Vietnam News, the state-run media, reported the one-day visit of the Thai premier, featuring trade ties between the two countries showing Thailand as Vietnam's 11th biggest investor with total investment worth US$1.5 billion through 12 major investment projects.
The Thai premier visited Vietnam, the sixth member state of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), at the official invitation of his Vietnamese counterpart.
He is scheduled to return to Hanoi again next month to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit after visiting China on Monday to mark the 15th anniversary of the Chinese-ASEAN relationship.
Pime Minister Surayud earlier visited Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines.
Thai News Agency - October 26, 2006.
Thai and Vietnamese leaders will push for 5 billion US dollars per annum in bilateral trade
Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont will this morning discuss ways to enhance trade and investment cooperation with his Vietnamese counterpart Nguyen Tan Dung in a bid to raise bilatera trade volume to five billion US dollars a year.
General Surayud left for Vietnam this morning for a one-day official visit which is the sixth in a series of his visits to member countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) since the assumption of his post.
Information Department Director-General Kitti Vasinond (????? ????????) said the Thai and Vietnamese leaders are determined to jointly push the annual bilateral trade volume to five billion US dollars. General Surayud will also ask Vietnam to help facilitate Thai investment in that country before Vietnam becomes member of the World Trade Organization. The two leaders are also expected to discuss cooperation in the fields of public health including bird flu prevention, security matters as well as the promotion of people-to-people cooperation in celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Thai-Vietnamese diplomatic relations.
Besides, Thailand will reaffirm commitments with Vietnam under multi-lateral framework, particularly its efforts to push for concrete cooperation under the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy or ACMECS.
Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont has already visited Laos, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Philippines respectively before his visit to Vietnam. The Information Department Director-General said leaders of Brunei Darussalam and Singapore have already confirmed their meetings with General Surayud on the sidelines of their participation in the ASEAN-China summit in Nanning, the People’s Republic of China at the end of this month.
ThaisNews - October 25, 2006.
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