Special Report: PM’s official visit to Cambodia

[Lite Beer]

Special Report: PM’s official visit to Cambodia

BANGKOK: -- Thai and Cambodian leaders have emphasized cooperation in border area development and the promotion of people-to-people contact. The issue was raised and discussed during the official visit of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to Cambodia on 30-31 October 2014.

Accompanying the Prime Minister during this trip were Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister General Tanasak Patimapragorn, Minister of Tourism and Sports Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul, Minister of Social Development and Human Security Police General Adul Saengsingkaew, and Deputy Transport Minister and Secretary-General of the Office of the National Economic and Social Development Board Arkhom Termpittayapaisith.

During his talks with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Prime Minister Prayut stated that the Thai government is pushing for the establishment of special economic zones in border areas. It has approved the development of Sa Kaeo and Trat provinces, which border on Cambodia, as special economic zones. He also proposed the formation of a working group, under the Joint Committee on Border Area Development and Connectivity (JCBD) between Thailand and Cambodia. Thailand is ready to host the second meeting of JCBD in early 2015.

According to the Thai Prime Minister, Thailand is ready to cooperate with Cambodia in improving the living conditions of Cambodian people living along the Thai-Cambodian border. It will also continue to carry out projects on community development, public health, occupational development, skill training, and the solving of problems concerning human trafficking. These projects have received a positive response from the Cambodians.

Thailand has attached great importance on public health development along the border and will continue to provide training for Cambodian public health personnel. Regarding labor cooperation, Prime Minister Prayut asked Cambodia to send more mobile teams to speed up the national verification process for Cambodian migrant workers in Thailand. More than 600,000 Cambodian migrant workers have so far registered with Thai authorities. He thanked Cambodia for reducing the passport fee for the migrant workers at four one-stop-service registration centers along the Thai-Cambodian border.

He said that Thailand is conducting a study on the opening of a new border checkpoint between Nong Ian in Sa Kaeo and Stung Bot in Banteay Meancheay. Both Thai and Cambodian governments will accelerate discussions between officials involved in order to open the border checkpoint soon.

Prime Minister Prayut also proposed that both countries come up with joint packages to promote tourism between them. He reiterated that Thailand has a policy to encourage Thai businessmen to invest overseas, especially in neighboring countries. Cambodia is a major destination in terms of a production base, a labor source, and a market for Thai products, linking with southern Vietnam.

On this occasion, Thailand and Cambodia signed three memorandums of understanding: an MOU between Thailand and Cambodia on Bilateral Cooperation in Eliminating Trafficking of Children and Women and Assisting Victims of Trafficking, an MOU on Rail Route Connection, and an MOU on Bilateral Cooperation in Tourism.

-- NNT 2014-11-01

[Lite Beer]

PM hails Cambodia visit a success

BANGKOK: -- Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha hailed his official visit to Cambodia a great success with both leaders agreeing to cooperation in many areas, as well as setting aside previous conflict and starting to work together to stabilise not only the two countries but the whole ASEAN when it turns ASEAN Economic Community next year.

In a press conference after his two-day official, he disclosed that the meeting with Prime Minister Hun Sen was a success and they have made agreements on several cooperation issues.

Gen Prayut said he had discussed various issues with Prime Minister Hun Sen, especially economic cooperation, along the border in particular, and the Cambodian leader agreed to.

He said Thailand and Cambodia will not allow the unsettled borderline to disrupt their relations.

But Gen Prayut said he did not raise the issue of the Preah Vihear temple with his counterpart, saying any issue that could lead to conflict will not be discussed at present.

If anyone wants to visit the temple, they can enter from the Cambodian side, he said.

Gen Prayut said both countries agreed to upgrade their relationship to the level of strategic partnership, to ensure mutual benefits and to take on the future of ASEAN.

Both agreed to push forward several connectivity projects especially roads and railways, following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on railway connection between the Thai district of Aranyaprathet and Poipet in Cambodia.

Thailand and Cambodia will upgrade four border checkpoints from temporary to permanent passes to bolster border trade, he said .

One temporary checkpoint is located at Arn Ma pass in Nam Yuen district in Ubon Ratchathani province, which is opposite Preah Vihear province of Cambodia.

The others are Ban Khao Din in Aranyaprathet district of Sa Kaeo bordering Battambang, Ban Tha Sen in Muang district in Trat opposite Pursat of Cambodia, and Sai Taku pass in Ban Kruat district of Buri Ram bordering Oddar Meanchey.

The two countries also committed to the development of other means of transport such as Route 48 of Cambodia and the Nong Ian-Stung Bot road link.

Gen Prayut said both sides shared the view to further promote communication links for tourism and trade purposes.

Cambodia also agreed to joint development of border economic zones, five of which have already been started on Thai soil and seven more to be implemented by the Thai government in 2015.

Other issues including a proposal to set up factories in border areas to increase job opportunities, and the opening of more border crossing points in Sa Kaeo and Trat provinces to generate revenues and to facilitate border people in working.

Gen Prayut said Cambodia will send 15 nationality verifying officials to support Thai officials in the nationality verification which is significant and effective tool to resolve human trafficking.

Thailand and Cambodia also agreed to cooperate in the suppression of transnational crime, drug trafficking and logging, and also in the disaster prevention and mitigation, he said.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/pm-hails-cambodia-visit-success/

-- Thai PBS 2014-11-01

[Commerce]

Did Thaksin fly in from China to enjoy the jolly get together?

[ratcatcher]

Did Thaksin fly in from China to enjoy the jolly get together?

He ought to have done, he's got family connections there.

He could even have pulled a few more strings with the Hun now his hands are free.

[fab4]

Did Thaksin fly in from China to enjoy the jolly get together?

He ought to have done, he's got family connections there.

He could even have pulled a few more strings with the Hun now his hands are free.

Family connections in Cambodia? You surely don't mean China.........................

[jaltsc]

"On this occasion, Thailand and Cambodia signed three memorandums of understanding: an MOU between Thailand and Cambodia on Bilateral Cooperation in Eliminating Trafficking of Children and Women...Gen Prayut said Cambodia will send 15 nationality verifying officials to support Thai officials in the nationality verification which is significant and effective tool to resolve human trafficking."

Well that should eliminate the problem. I wonder how they celebrated after they finished their meeting.

Edited November 1, 2014 by jaltsc

[ratcatcher]

Did Thaksin fly in from China to enjoy the jolly get together?

He ought to have done, he's got family connections there.

He could even have pulled a few more strings with the Hun now his hands are free.

Family connections in Cambodia? You surely don't mean China.........................

No, actually I did mean Cambodia, although it's rather tenuous, Thaksin's niece and Hun Sen's RH man.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Will-this-marriage-end-conflicts-30206344.html

[Eric Loh]

Isn't this cooperation better than going to war? Thaksin see that long ago and now cemented by the current PM. A big snub to the misguided ultra royalist groups.

[VINCENT2012]

to work together to stabilise not only the two countries but the whole ASEAN

wwwwwwwwwhooooua, what a dream!...sometimes it is harder to wake up!

asian captain america is coming

[emilymat]

Trip a resounding success................Mandy Rice Davis at the Old bailey springs to mind.

[fab4]

Did Thaksin fly in from China to enjoy the jolly get together?

He ought to have done, he's got family connections there.

He could even have pulled a few more strings with the Hun now his hands are free.

Family connections in Cambodia? You surely don't mean China.........................

No, actually I did mean Cambodia, although it's rather tenuous, Thaksin's niece and Hun Sen's RH man.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Will-this-marriage-end-conflicts-30206344.html

Tenuous mmm, you could say that..............................

[jcisco]

Well it cannot be that bad that Thailand is trying to work closer with its neighbor. Even if every Thai person I have ever spoken with about cambodia has always said, we hate them they hate us. Not sure if supporting the Hun and his government is at all wise, but the topics they have mentioned are worth the effort though.

[Suriya4]

Other than communist countries, where else can he go?

Burma, tick.

Cambodia, tick.

Next will be Laos and Vietnam.