Thailand Seeks To Expand Ties With Germany In All Fields

[Jai Dee]

Thailand seeks to expand ties with Germany in all fields

Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra will visit Germany next month to strengthen bilateral ties, particularly in the economic area where there is much potential to be developed.

Foreign Minister Kantathi Suphamongkhon discussed the preparation of the Prime Minister’s visit with his German counterpart Frank Walter Steinmeier last week in Berlin. The visit, tentatively scheduled from March 13th to 15th, 2006, will be Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s first official visit to Germany since taking office in 2001.

Mr. Kantathi said that during the visit, Prime Minister Thaksin will also convene the 2nd Joint Economic Committee (JEC), which will work out a plan of action covering all areas of cooperation between the two countries. Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Somkid Jatusripitak will head the Thai delegation of public and private sector representatives to the meeting while the Federal Minister of Economy and Technology Michael Glos will chair the German side.

Apart from the upcoming official visit of Prime Minister Thaksin, Mr. Kantathi and Mr. Steinmeier also discussed a number of issues concerning bilateral relations, as well as regional and international situation. The Thai side expressed the hope that Germany will be Thailand’s partner in extending development assistance to Thailand’s immediate neighbours in order to reduce development gap. Both sides also agreed to promote closer security cooperation in the fight against terrorism including exchange of intelligence, cooperation between law enforcement agencies and working to promote the role and voice of moderates in countering extremism.

The two sides discussed ways and mean to promoting trade and investment between the two countries. Bilateral trade has grown significantly and is expected to reach five billion US dollars a year by the end of this year.

Source: Thai National News Bureau Public Relations Department - 06 Febuary 2006