PM officially visiting Germany, France this week

BANGKOK, July 17 -- Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra will leave Bangkok this afternoon for an official visit to Germany and France today through Sunday to strengthen ties between Thailand and the two European countries.

Ms Yingluck begins her European tour in Germany from July 17 to 19 as a guest of Chancellor Angela Merkel.

The visit is significant as it is her first official visit to a European country since taking office and marks the 150th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Thailand and Germany.

During the visit, Ms Yingluck will meet bilaterally with Ms Merkel, a driver of the effort to tackle the current debt crisis in Europe.

The Thai prime minister will also meet with a group of members of the German parliament as well as with representatives of German political foundations that have worked for decades to empower the Thai people on issues such as democracy and good governance.

In addition, Ms Yingluck will give a keynote speech at a reception to commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Thailand and Germany and will meet with the Thai community there.

Apart from Berlin, the premier will also visit the State of Brandenburg, to observe Feldheim, an example of villages that are designed to be self-sufficient in terms of their renewable energy usage, and the Brandenburg Regional Competence Center, one of Germany’s leading centres of the dual education system, aiming to emulate the success of German skilled labour development to better prepare the Thai workforce to compete with the ASEAN Community in 2015.

Prominent representatives from leading Thai companies in the fields of food and agricultural, automotive, green technology, and the medical and design sectors, as well as the Federation of Thai Industries, the Board of Trade of Thailand, the Thai Bankers’ Association, and other associations will accompany the Prime Minister to meet their German counterparts.

In promoting Thailand as a regional leader in green industries, Ms Yingluck will lead Thai business representatives to visit the BASF office in Berlin to learn more about bioplastics technology, which is bio-degradable and can be produced by agricultural products that are abundant in Thailand.

Ms Yingluck’s visit symbolizes the strengthening of relations at the leader’s level. The trip is the first to Germany by a Thai prime minister in 17 years. The last was in 1995 when prime minister Chuan Leekpai officially visited Germany at the invitation of Chancellor Helmut Kohl.

Thursday, Friday and Saturday Ms Yingluck is scheduled to officially visit France at the invitation of President François Hollande.

Ms Yingluck will meet bilaterally with Mr Hollande. Their discussion will be followed by a working lunch with Jean-Marc Ayrault, the French Prime Minister.

The Thai premier will also witness the signing of an “Intergovernment Agreement for Cooperation in Education and Research between the Government of Thailand and the Government of the French Republic”, which will further strengthen Franco-Thai cooperation in this field.

The visit to France will strengthen bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries. It will be the first visit to France by a Thai leader in seven years. The last was in 2005 when then prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra officially visited the country at the invitation of President Jacques Chirac. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2012-07-17

No time for Berlusconi?

Official visits are very important.

Yingluck should try officially visiting the Thai parliament sometime, preferably during a debate.

Its like the old joke "my wife wants to go on holiday somewhere that she has never visited before, I said how about the kitchen."

Edited July 17, 201213 yr by Yunla

Something important to Thailand being discussed in parliament in the next few days, that requires her to be out of the country ??????

The trip is the first to Germany by a Thai prime minister in 17 years. The last was in 1995 when prime minister Chuan Leekpai officially visited Germany at the invitation of Chancellor Helmut Kohl.

Hmmm, not quite. Her brother had stayed in Bad Godesberg from late 2008 to 2009 until officials found out who he was and revoked his residence permit.

It's dam_n cold and raining in Germany. Better pack some long-sleeves K. Yingluck.

Shoppingtime??

Shoppingtime??

No, important matters to be discussed in Thai parliament, so her presence is required out of the country for any matter you can think of.Evasiveness time then.....But I know that some here will tell you how important a person she is, and that how necessary her presence will be in Europe to teach all European governments how to run a country efficiently!

Edited July 17, 201213 yr by saltandpepper

Just another PR stunt to "get away from Thailand's real political problems."

Shoppingtime??

No, important matters to be discussed in Thai parliament, so her presence is required out of the country for any matter you can think of.Evasiveness time then.....But I know that some here will tell you how important a person she is, and that how necessary her presence will be in Europe to teach all European governments how to run a country efficiently!

That what I meant, "shopping time" When important stuff is to be discussed in Parliament the PM goes "shopping"

The PM being going shopping in EU is not a problem. DPM Chalerm can take care of things.

Shoppingtime??

ha ha ....maybe true ?

something going to happen here,

then she can say "I was on of the country at the time and don't really know much about the subject or what happened"

"yea right"

something going to happen here,

then she can say "I was on of the country at the time and don't really know much about the subject or what happened"

"yea right"

Were I was they didn´t have a "night vision radar"

the premier will also visit the State of Brandenburg, to observe Feldheim, an example of villages that are designed to be self-sufficient in terms of their renewable energy usage,...

Before I read the article, I was going to mention something about about 'renewable energy'. Maybe she and her associates will learn a thing or two about renewables, and how nuclear is NOT the wave of the future. Heck, her administration might even come back and do some little thing that might benefit the struggling Thai people, instead of devoting all their calories to one manic goal: bring back the clone, and forgive him and all the violent Reds of all their law-breaking.

please keep her there! she can open a som tam shop!

The PM being going shopping in EU is not a problem. DPM Chalerm can take care of things.

Yes - he'll have the new charter signed and implemented before she returns - no doubt about that.

the premier will also visit the State of Brandenburg, to observe Feldheim, an example of villages that are designed to be self-sufficient in terms of their renewable energy usage,...

Before I read the article, I was going to mention something about about 'renewable energy'. Maybe she and her associates will learn a thing or two about renewables, and how nuclear is NOT the wave of the future. Heck, her administration might even come back and do some little thing that might benefit the struggling Thai people, instead of devoting all their calories to one manic goal: bring back the clone, and forgive him and all the violent Reds of all their law-breaking.

"She and her associates will learn a thing or two" You forget who she is and that she is Thai. As such she does not need to learn anything and no westernes can teach her anything. She is simply there to teach the Europeans a thing or two. And of course, a reason to stay away from Parliament and her job.

Edited July 17, 201213 yr by Tanaka

It seems that most of you are disappointed again that the Thai PM is visisting Germang and France...simple minds.....

It's dam_n cold and raining in Germany. Better pack some long-sleeves K. Yingluck.

And red flannel drawers.

No doubt she'll find a few hours to do some essential shopping.

It's dam_n cold and raining in Germany. Better pack some long-sleeves K. Yingluck.

And red flannel drawers.

No doubt she'll find a few hours to do some essential shopping.

Lederhosen.

Its like the old joke "my wife wants to go on holiday somewhere that she has never visited before, I said how about the kitchen."

I will not forget it!

It's dam_n cold and raining in Germany. Better pack some long-sleeves K. Yingluck.

I am sorry but we are in July... so it will not be cold at all, on the other hand an umbrella remains a good option!

PM Yingluck Officially Visiting....

Can one assume she will be meeting with groups in hotel rooms?

As opposed to unofficially?

And what is she doing un-officially??????????????????????????????

And what is she doing un-officially??????????????????????????????

Any unclaimed aeroplanes?

It seems that most of you are disappointed again that the Thai PM is visisting Germang and France...simple minds.....

Simple minds breed even more than simple, even stupid posts.

Its like the old joke "my wife wants to go on holiday somewhere that she has never visited before, I said how about the kitchen."

I will not forget it!

In this case, how about parllament????????????

Will she pay what LOS owes the Germans for work done on Bangkok highways.