PM Surayud To Visit India On June 25th

[Jai Dee]

PM will visit India on June 25th

The Prime Minister, Gen. Surayud Chulanont, will be traveling to India to conduct cultural exchange activities and cooperative commerce ventures.

The Prime Minister reports that he is scheduled to conduct an official visit to India on June 25th in order to meet with the Indian Prime Minister and discuss bilateral and regional cooperative schemes between Thailand and India, and Thailand and South Asia. Cultural exchange will also be discussed, in addition to economic cooperation in order to increase trade volume among BIMSTEC nations, comprised of Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Thailand, and Sri Lanka.

The Prime Minister will also be creating understanding with foreign nations about the necessity of Thailand's political reform. Gen Surayud revealed that among ASEAN and Asian nations, no major voices of dissent have arised to criticize Thailand on its political direction as all nations undestand Thailand's political situation.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 24 June 2007

[Jai Dee]

Thailand keen to invest in North East

AGARTALA, June 23: A free trade agreement between Indian and Thailand would be signed as soon as possible, said the Thailand commerce minister, Mr KK Jirapaet, here while indicating that Thai investors are keen to invest in the North-East of the country.

Thai investors are interested in energy, gas, agro-based industries and tourism sectors, the visiting minister who is heading a 35-member Thai business delegation to the region said.

Those who were currently heading for China and Europe would be interested to invest in the North-East, but infrastructure such as roads should be improved and good budget hotels set up, Mr Jirapaet told reporters.

The region’s geography and natural resources are similar to that in Thailand and holds immense potential for investment by Thai investors, he said.

The CP Group of Thailand, known for food processing beyond Thailand, has agreed to invest in Tripura for processing chicken, fish and fruits, Mr Jirapaet, said.

Source: The Statesman - 24 June 2007

[Jai Dee]

Thai premier arrives Sunday on two-day visit

New Delhi, June 24: Thai Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont arrives here on a two-day visit Sunday with a 30-member business delegation to give a push to economic and cultural relations between the two Asian countries.

Apart from entering into a bilateral agreement on energy and another on cultural exchanges, Surayud's visit will also push for early conclusion to a free trade pact between India and Thailand, officials said.

Thai embassy officials here said Suryayud will also visit Varanasi June 27 and travel to the Sarnath temple, one of the holiest pilgrim sites for Buddhists where Gautama Buddha gave his first sermon after attaining enlightenment.

The prime minister, who arrives here late Sunday evening from Bangkok, will be given a ceremonial welcome at the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan the next morning after which he addresses a business summit at the Taj Mahal hotel.

The India-Thai Business Summit is being co-organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci), the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham).

The emphasis of the summit will be on pushing bilateral trade, which stood at $2.86 billion last fiscal and has been projected by Ficci to touch $7 billion by 2010.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Surayud will also lead their respective sides at the official level talks in the evening and witness the signing of some bilateral pacts including those on renewable energy and culture, officials said.

Besides President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Manmohan Singh, he is also scheduled to engage with External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Commerce Minister Kamal Nath and Minister of State for Non-Conventional Energy Vilas Muttemwar.

The Thai leader's talks with Mukherjee come soon after India's weeklong Look East diplomatic initiative that also took the Indian minister to Indonesia and Singapore. Surayud leaves for Bangkok Wednesday evening.

A former commander-in-chief of the Thai Army, Surayud became prime minister Oct 1 last year after toppling his predecessor Thaksin Shinawatra in a coup Sep 19.

Time magazine had hailed him as one of its "Asian heroes" and praised him "as the most important Thai military figure of the modern era" who played a major role in changing the military's public image as a modern professional unit.

Source: Mangalorean - 24 June 2007

[Jai Dee]

PM departs for India this evening

Prime Minister Gen Surayud Chulanont and delegates are scheduled to conduct an official visit to New Delhi, India from June 25-27. The visit constitutes Gen Suraryud's first visit to India since assuming the position of Prime Minister. The Thai government hopes the visit will strengthen bilateral relations and improve cooperation in several areas.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to meet with Indian civil officials, as well as the President of India, His Excellency Dr. Abdul Kalam (เอ พี เจ อับดุล คาลาม), and the Prime Minister of India, Dr. Manmohan Singh (มานโมฮัน ซิงห์). Issues which Gen Surayud will be discussing include free trade agreement negotiations, tariff reduction, and an increase of commercial airline flights from Bangkok to New Delhi.

The Prime Minister and accompanying delegates are expected to depart from the Royal Thai Air Force's Wing 6 airbase at 18:00 today (June 25).

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 25 June 2007

[glaitong]

Have a good trip PM. Bring back some investments for the sake of the country. Sure we will all appreciate some more cash in the flow.

[lazeeboy]

Have a good trip PM. Bring back some investments for the sake of the country. Sure we will all appreciate some more cash in the flow.

more tailor shops to open soon

[Jai Dee]

PM says his visit to India will increase trade value b/w two countries

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont says his official visit to India is aimed to strengthen bilateral ties and the trade value between Thailand and India.

Today (June, 26th) is the second day of the premier’s first official visit to India. At 09.00 local time, Gen.Surayud and his entourage are scheduled to travel to the office of the Indian President to join a welcoming ceremony hosted by the Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The Thai premier will be reviewing guard of honor and then visiting the Ghandi Memorial at 09.30 a.m.

Later today, Gen.Surayud will grant audience to Indian businessmen and attend a meeting with the Thai-indian businessmen at the Taj Mahal Hotel.

The prime minister expresses confidence that his trip in India will benefit cooperations in many fields especially trading. Thailand expects that it will gain a favorable trade balance with India estimated at more than three billion U.S. dollars.

The premier is scheduled to meet with Indian President Abdul Kalam and join bilateral talks with the Indian prime minister.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 26 June 2007

[Payboy]

more tailor shops to open soon

is that like asking him to bring back football hooligans from a visit to england?

Edited June 26, 2007 by Payboy

[Jai Dee]

PM believes his visit to India will bring positive outcome

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont is confident that his official visit to the Republic of India will reap positive results for Thailand, especially for the trading sector.

Gen. Surayud and his entourage are on an official visit to India from June 25th to 27th, and they are now in New Delhi. This morning, the received a warm welcome at the official residence of the President of India and later took part in the wreath-laying ceremony at the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial.

Prime Minister Surayud says he will meet many businessmen of India during his visit such as the Chairman of the Thai-Indian Business Federation, the board members of the Indian Chamber of Commerce, and other leading Indian business operators. Gen. Surayud says the bilateral trade value between Thailand and India for this year is expected to be more than three billion US dollars since India is another important economic partner of Thailand.

This afternoon, Prime Minister Surayud will meet the President of India, Dr. Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen (APJ) Abdul Kalam, and hold talks with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 26 June 2007

[Jai Dee]

PM’s visit to India a success

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont says his official visit to India was deemed successful and satisfactory mainly due to an agreement to expand the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the two countries in July.

The premier reveals that the talks he attended yesterday (June, 26th) with Indian President Abdul Kalam and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh covered cooperation on energy, state security, and air transport. Gen.Surayud says the talks signaled a possible expansion of the Thai-Indian FTA which is expected to help Thailand gain a favorable trade balance of four billion U.S. dollars with India and seven billion U.S. dollars in the next few years.

As for the premier’s itinerary today, he is scheduled to grant audience to Leader of the Indian Opposition L.K. Advani before thraveling to Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh state.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 27 June 2007

[Jai Dee]

India may soon ink FTA on goods with Thailand

NEW DELHI, JUNE 26: Thailand and India are close to concluding a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) covering trade in goods by 2010. The two countries are likely to start negotiations on free trade agreement on goods next month and the agreement could be finalised by September. Simultaneously the two nations would also discuss FTA in services.

Speaking at a business summit organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) and the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (ASSOCHAM), visiting Thai prime minister Surayud Chulanont said that an FTA roadshow aimed at expediting the process of negotiations would be launched soon and expressed confidence that the FTA on goods would be in place by the end of this decade.

“We see in India a key engine of the rising Asian economy. It is imperative for us that bilateral trade between the two countries reaches greater heights and FTA would be a key to that,” he said.

Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath said that though Thailand enjoys a favourable position in the balance of trade, India does not mind that. “As much as we are a foreign exchange earner, we also have developed a tendecy to invest abroad. We have invested more in Australia, UK and maybe US as well than these countries have invested here,” Nath said.

While FTA on goods is on the table first, a simultaneous negotiation on services would also be underway. “There will be parallel negotiations on services and investments parameters of the FTA though no agreement will be signed regarding that during the course of the Thai PM’s three day visit,” he said.

While tariffs on 82 products have already been eliminated under the Early Harvest Scheme (EHS), which came into force in 2004, the FTA could not progress as per the original timeline since there were differences on a number of items which were to be kept out of the pact.

Since EHS, India ‘s trade with Thailand has grown to $3.4 billion in 2006. With $1.3 billion already recorded during the first four months this year Chulanont was optimistic that the target of $4 billion by 2007 would be achieved.

Source: Indian Express - 27 June 2007

[Mid]

PM Surayud to be top speaker at "the Furture of Aviation"

Wed, June 27, 2007 : Last updated 14:43 pm (Thai local time)

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont and Deputy Transport Minister Sansern Wongcha-um are among top speakers at Asia Forum 2007 on "the Future of Aviation" on Thursday.

They will be joined by aviation and tourism experts from around the world who are convening in Bangkok at the event organised as part of the celebration of Star Alliance's 10th anniversary.

continues http://nationmultimedia.com/2007/06/27/hea...es_30037930.php

India and Thailand to step up defence ties

27 June 2007

New Delhi: Thailand's 'Look West' and India's 'Look East' policy received a big boost with Indian prime minister, Manmohan Singh, and his visiting Thai counterpart, Gen. (Retd.) Surayud Chulanont, resolving to step up cooperation in defence, security and civil aviation sectors on Tuesday. In a statement the two prime ministers said that the policies of the two countries should become a "perfect complement to one another."

The Information Company Private Limited.

continues http://www.domain-b.com/aero/June/2007/20070627_thailand.htm

lookie who's got the cheque book .....................

Edited June 27, 2007 by Mid

[Jai Dee]

Thai industries look for trade and investment opportunities in India

The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Sawanit Kongsiri, led Thailand's private sector to a seminar to gather more information on the investment sector of India.

Thailand’s private sector included businessmen in real estate, public service, food, banking, automotive and electronic businesses. At the seminar, they listened to the economic policy of India as well as its investment regulations from India’s central bank deputy governor. The seminar was held in Mumbai.

The Board of Investment (BOI) Assistant Secretary, Mr. Wittaya Praisuwan, views that investment in India still has many requirements and limitations, such as business registration and tax exemption. He says the Thai government should publicize more information of India to the Thai business operators, and it needs to determine a clear trade and investment strategy in India.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 29 June 2007

[Jai Dee]

Commerce Minister reports on recent visit to India

Commerce Minister Krirkkrai Jirapaet reports that his recent visit to India is aimed at increasing Thailand's presence in the nation.

Mr. Krirkkrai says his recent visit with Thai businessmen to India is aimed at allowing Thai operators the opportunity to increase Thailand's market presence in the nation. Mr. Krergkrai says the business market focuses include hydroelectric power, tourism, hotels, food, and processed agricultural goods which are expected to increase in the future.

The Commerce Minister reveals that the majority of India business operations are small scale, while most Thai businesses are large scale, therefore further cooperation is necessary to determine trade direction. Mr. Krergkrai said that a Thailand-India free trade agreement for 82 article of goods was also discussed. Thailand's exports to India increased by over 120 percent in the last quarter, therefore FTA implementation may not be required.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 29 June 2007

[chinthee]

Call me thick, but I don't see what can come out of this. I keep searching for something India wants that Thailand has, and vice versa, and can't find it.

Anybody???