Thailand, Aust launch New Colombo Plan
The Nation

THAILAND and Australia yesterday launched the New Colombo Plan in Bangkok in a bid to strengthen the trading and interpersonal relationship between both countries, Foreign Ministry spokesman Sek Wannamethee said.

The ceremony was presided over by Foreign Minister General Tanasak Patimapragorn and his Australian counterpart Julie Bishop, who is visiting as a guest of the Foreign ministry.

The project sends Australian undergraduate students to countries in the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions for tertiary study, development of international friendships, and the enhancement of relationships between countries.

The project was re-introduced in 2014 and extended to involve more countries.

It is expected that the plan will strengthen the long-standing relationships between Australia and other Indo-Pacific countries.

Sek and Bishop also discussed social, economic, and public policies issues, plus bilateral relations.

Australia downgraded Thailand after then-Army chief General Prayut Chan-o-cha staged a coup last May.

In a joint statement by Bishop and Australian Defence Minister David Johnson, they said: "The Australian government said it had postponed three activities with the Thai military and would prevent leaders of the coup from travelling to Australia, as it continues to have grave concerns about the military's actions in Thailand.

"In line with our concerns, Australia is reducing our engagement with the Thai military and will lower the level of our interaction with the Thai military leadership."

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Thailand-Aust-launch-New-Colombo-Plan-30259654.html

-- The Nation 2015-05-09

Diplomacy can be complex but here we have Oz saying Thai officials can't g oto the country but we will come to you.

Do they realise how much face that hands a country they're supposed to be upset with ?

The US has no doubt told Australia what to do, after all they set our foreign policy. When they say jump we say how high?

The Colombo Plan is purely educational , it started with India in the sixties and since then has expanded , why deny Thai students the opportunity to improve their skills and knowledge just because some power hungry Thai General decides that he would like to be emperor for a day, the only problem that I see is that when they return back to take their place in industry they revert back to Thaines , because the others around them don't want to learn new ways or skills, their standard of education is so low that they either cannot comprehend what the Colombo student is talking about or the Thai way is the only way attitude.

How about she bring up the restrictive business/employment laws, reciprocal citizenship's, visa etc etc etc, you know make some actual quantifiable actions and results, that australians who live, contribute and understand a great deal about this society can see and feel the effects of !

Not just this mystical airy fairy cross country education for an absolute miniscule group of students.

Great junket and photo op hey julie? How was that tax payer funded 5 star hotel and 100's of dollars lunches?

Thailand, Aust launch New Colombo Plan

why dont they make it worth something and sponsor the poorer kids ,somehow i think only the rich will benefit from this

Thailand, Aust launch New Colombo Plan

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Top post...sums it up, with the humour attached....