Thai PM Yingluck To Sign Many Agreements In China

[webfact]

PM to sign many agreements in China

Wichit Chaitrong

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra will visit China in April and sign among others agreements on sale of agricultural products and economic cooperation for the next five years, Guan Mu, China's ambassador to Thailand, said yesterday.

He was delivering his keynote speech at the Bangkok Bank Knowledge Talk series.

Yingluck will travel to Beijing on April 17. Among the agreements to be signed are a memorandum of understanding on economic cooperation for five years and China's purchase of Thai agricultural products such as rice, rubber, and corn, said the ambassador.

"Thailand also is going to buy 800,000 [computer] tablets from China. The amount may not be huge but the most important thing is how education will develop in the future," he said, referring to the Thai government plan to buy tablets for pupils.

The two sides are also discussing investments in high-speed rail lines: Bangkok to Chiang Mai, Bangkok to Nong Khai, Bangkok to Rayong and Bangkok to Padang Besar, he said.

The railroad is about 1,000 kilometres, which is not very long when compared with projects in China, he said. For example, the high-speed rail linking Shanghai and Beijing is 1,300 kilometres. He said he had learned from top Thai officials that the government wants to start investments in the high-speed rail project this year.

If so, the main high-speed line is likely to be completed within five years, the ambassador said.

"In the next 10 to 15 years Thailand would have road and railroad connectivity with neighbouring countries. It would totally change the country and greatly benefit Thailand," he said.

He also projected that Chinese tourists coming to Thailand this year may reach 2 million, following 1.7 million last year.

Chinese visitors could rise to between 4 million and 5 million in the next five to 10 years, as Chinese are getting richer, he said.

He said the Chinese government planned to achieve gross domestic product growth of 7.5 per cent this year. It may be lower when compared with the previous growth rates of more than 9 per cent over the past 30 years, he said. He explained that a lower growth rate is needed as the government wants to improve the quality of growth and make it sustainable.

China will also create domestic demand as it would make economic growth more sustainable, he said. "We were not ready to rely on domestic demand in the past 10 to 20 years, but now we are ready," said Mu.

He said China is confident of catching up with the US in the next 10 to 15 years in terms of economic size as some research houses have predicted. The size of the Chinese economy surpassed Germany in 2008 and overtook Japan, previously the world's second-largest economy, in 2010, he said.

Li Zhimin, former chairman of the supervisory board of large state-owned enterprises under the State Council, said private enterprises and individual businesses in China have grown rapidly in the 30 years after China opened its economy.

He said the number of state-owned enterprises currently is less than one-twentieth of the total businesses. However, 58 state-owned firms are among the top 500 global firms, he said.

Meanwhile, Xiang Siying, executive director of CDH Investment, said the private equity market in China was still a very small segment but it is growing very fast.

-- The Nation 2012-03-31

[OzMick]

When will we see the headline "Yingluk Answers Many Questions When She Visits Parliament" ?

[AZBill]

And she probably believes the Chinese intend to live up to every provision of every agreement! LOL

[Ricardo]

The ambassador hopes the high-speed lines will be completed "within five years", which means by 2017, but weren't they previously supposed to be up-and-running by 2015 ?

[geriatrickid]

When will we see the headline "Yingluk Answers Many Questions When She Visits Parliament" ?

Ahh, the PM bashers are distressed by the PM's success and warm welcome in China. Had there been a stumble in the visit, the nattering nymphs of negativity would be crowing about the stumble. instead they must put on their best sucking a lemon faces and find something to whine about.

[Jingthing]

When will we see the headline "Yingluk Answers Many Questions When She Visits Parliament" ?

Ahh, the PM bashers are distressed by the PM's success and warm welcome in China. Had there been a stumble in the visit, the nattering nymphs of negativity would be crowing about the stumble. instead they must put on their best sucking a lemon faces and find something to whine about.

Please give credit to William Safire, Spiro Agnew's speechwriter.

"nattering nabobs of negativity"

[geriatrickid]

When will we see the headline "Yingluk Answers Many Questions When She Visits Parliament" ?

Ahh, the PM bashers are distressed by the PM's success and warm welcome in China. Had there been a stumble in the visit, the nattering nymphs of negativity would be crowing about the stumble. instead they must put on their best sucking a lemon faces and find something to whine about.

Please give credit to William Safire, Spiro Agnew's speechwriter.

"nattering nabobs of negativity"

Yes. And how Billy could get mixed up with a scummy criminal like Spiro is puzzle for me. Spiro makes Thaksin look clean. Anyway, nymphs it is. I sometimes picture some of the most vociferous bashers dressed up as sultry ladyboys, sitting on the rocks at the far end of Patong Beach and letting loose with shrill screams. Miaow

[FOODLOVER]

When will we see the headline "Yingluk Answers Many Questions When She Visits Parliament" ?

Ahh, the PM bashers are distressed by the PM's success and warm welcome in China. Had there been a stumble in the visit, the nattering nymphs of negativity would be crowing about the stumble. instead they must put on their best sucking a lemon faces and find something to whine about.

She doesn't leave for China until April 17, have you taken your dose?

[geriatrickid]

When will we see the headline "Yingluk Answers Many Questions When She Visits Parliament" ?

Ahh, the PM bashers are distressed by the PM's success and warm welcome in China. Had there been a stumble in the visit, the nattering nymphs of negativity would be crowing about the stumble. instead they must put on their best sucking a lemon faces and find something to whine about.

She doesn't leave for China until April 17, have you taken your dose?

The agreement signings are formalities. as acknowledged in the OP, the agreements are done deals. As well, she is well regarded by China, the only country in the region capable f putting up the investment capital Thailand desires. My statement was poorly worded and I apologize for the slight confusion. Her Korean trip was a resounding success, though. You can grumble about Korea, ok?

[anterian]

There is an old saying, " When you shake hands with a Chinaman, count your fingers afterwards".

[khaowong1]

I'm guessing then, on April 18th, she will be "hailing" her success in China. I hope she comes away with her dignity intact as Chinese are really difficult to do business with. I hope she don't give away the farm.

[finnomick1]

Hmmm, Thaina and the Thainese springs to mind...I hope only good comes of it

[how241]

Sounds like a smart move. Ally yourself with the awakening financial giant.

[WackySomchai]

One Chinese making deals with another Chinese. As always when the fugitive is involved, Thailand is the loser ...

[OzMick]

When will we see the headline "Yingluk Answers Many Questions When She Visits Parliament" ?

Ahh, the PM bashers are distressed by the PM's success and warm welcome in China. Had there been a stumble in the visit, the nattering nymphs of negativity would be crowing about the stumble. instead they must put on their best sucking a lemon faces and find something to whine about.

Alas, her supposed success is of no interest to me. However, it is a duty of the government leader to appear in Parliament; a duty she apparently finds odious enough to avoid.

[rfukata]

I'm guessing then, on April 18th, she will be "hailing" her success in China. I hope she comes away with her dignity intact as Chinese are really difficult to do business with. I hope she don't give away the farm.

yes. as they say - it takes one to know one.

[blackthorn2005]

Standby for an influx of inferior goods!

[OzMick]

Standby for an influx of inferior goods!

started last July.

[h90]

When will we see the headline "Yingluk Answers Many Questions When She Visits Parliament" ?

Ahh, the PM bashers are distressed by the PM's success and warm welcome in China. Had there been a stumble in the visit, the nattering nymphs of negativity would be crowing about the stumble. instead they must put on their best sucking a lemon faces and find something to whine about.

Why not, she is Chinese.

[kimamey]

When will we see the headline "Yingluk Answers Many Questions When She Visits Parliament" ?

Ahh, the PM bashers are distressed by the PM's success and warm welcome in China. Had there been a stumble in the visit, the nattering nymphs of negativity would be crowing about the stumble. instead they must put on their best sucking a lemon faces and find something to whine about.

She does seem to get a bit of a bashing on here but then quite often her performance is lacking but no worse than many others in her party. Let's hope this does go well for her even though I'm not a supporter of her or her party. If she succeeds then it may be good for Thailand which we should all be hoping for.

The comment about answering questions is probably a valid one.