Bangkok--Mar 24--MFA
On 23 March 2008, Mr. Noppadon Pattama, Minister of Foreign Affairs, held a press briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, gist as follows:
1. The Foreign Minister stated that his official visit to the United States during 19-21 March 2008 was successful. He highlighted his discussion with various high profile officials and persons as well as attending important functions.
1.1 Foreign Minister Noppadon met with Dr. Condoleezza Rice, US Secretary of State, to exchange their views on various regional issues including the situation in Myanmar. Dr. Rice praised Thailand for its return of democracy. IIn addition, with the U.S. enjoying close relations with both Thailand and Saudi Arabia, Foreign Minister Noppadon sought U.S. assistance in helping Thailand normalise relations with Saudi Arabia.
1.2 Foreign Minister Noppadon met with Mr. Michael Mukasey, US Attorney General, which the latter expressed his appreciations to the Thai authority on the arrest of Mr. Viktor Bout, suspected international arms dealer. The Thai Foreign Minister also took this opportunity to invite Mr. Mukasey to visit Thailand.
1.3 Foreign Minister Noppadon met with Mr. Stephen Hadley, Assistant for the President on International Security Affairs. The Foreign Minister hoped that the US would restore to Thailand GSP privileges on gold jewelry which was withdrawn in 2007. Regarding the upcoming designation of countries under Special 301 of the 1974 US Trade Act, Foreign Minister Noppadon also hoped that Thailand would be upgraded from the Priority Watch List (PWL) to the Watch List (WL), in which Mr. Hadley would bring the issue to further discuss with concerned authorities. Myanmar was another issue discussed during the meeting. Foreign Minister Noppadon extended his invitation to President George W. Bush to visit Thailand.
1.4 Foreign Minister Noppadon met with Dr, Madeleine Albright, Former US Secretary of State, to discuss several regional issues. Dr. Albright informed that a business group would visit Thailand to seek for the trade and investment opportunities, especially in the Thai stock market, in April 2008.
1.5 Foreign Minister Noppadon attended the commemorative reception on the occasion of the 175th anniversary of the Thai-US relations. Many honourable guests attended the reception, including Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte, Senator Jim Webb and Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and the Pacific Christopher Hill, members of the diplomatic corps, business community and local think tanks.
1.6 The Thai Foreign Minister attended the business roundtable organized by the US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC). The event was well attended by high-level representatives of American businesses, including Chevron, Ford, Abbott, Merck, AIG and Boeing. The Foreign Minister affirmed the political and economic stability in Thailand for the US investors’ confidence in doing businesses in the Kingdom.
1.7 Foreign Minister Noppadon delivered a speech on the topic of “Thai — US Relations in the Changing Political — Economic Landscape of Southeast Asia,” at Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). The Thai Foreign Minister informed the academics on the political and economic situations in Thailand as well as other related issues, in order to gain the confidence among them.
2. On 25 March 2008, Foreign Minister Noppadon is scheduled to visit Vientiane, Lao PDR as the representative of the Royal Thai Government to sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Electricity Generating Development Cooperation between the Royal Thai Government and the Government of Lao PDR. The cooperation would strengthen the cordial relations between the two countries and support the vision of Lao PDR to become a “Battery of Asia.”
The signing of the said MoU is an outcome of the discussion between the Prime Ministers of Thailand and Lao PDR in Vientiane during the official visit of the Thai Prime Minister from 29 February to 1 March 2008, which both sides agreed in principle to support the private sector to undertake the feasibility study to build a flooding dam on the Mekong River to generate electricity so called ”Ban Kum Hydro Power Project,” locating between Khong Jiam District, Ubon Ratchathani Province and Champasak of Lao PDR. The authorities concerned of both countries would supervise and coordinate with the private sector on the matter and submit the report for consideration of their respective Governments accordingly.
3. Foreign Minister Noppadon will accompany the Prime Minister to pay an official visit to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on 24 March 2008. During the visit, both sides will discuss various matters of mutual interest, particularly, the transportation linkages and the Joint Strategy for Economic Partnership (JSEP), educational cooperation, as well as security cooperation. On this occasion, the Minister of Social Development and Human Security of Thailand will also sign the Agreement between the Government of the Kingdom of Thailand and the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on Bilateral Cooperation for Eliminating Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children and Assisting Victims of Trafficking.
Prime Minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Press Division, Department of Information Tel.(02) 643-5170
Fax. (02) 643-5169 E-mail : div0704@mfa.go.th End.
-PM-
On 23 March 2008, Mr. Noppadon Pattama, Minister of Foreign Affairs, held a press briefing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, gist as follows:
1. The Foreign Minister stated that his official visit to the United States during 19-21 March 2008 was successful. He highlighted his discussion with various high profile officials and persons as well as attending important functions.
1.1 Foreign Minister Noppadon met with Dr. Condoleezza Rice, US Secretary of State, to exchange their views on various regional issues including the situation in Myanmar. Dr. Rice praised Thailand for its return of democracy. IIn addition, with the U.S. enjoying close relations with both Thailand and Saudi Arabia, Foreign Minister Noppadon sought U.S. assistance in helping Thailand normalise relations with Saudi Arabia.
1.2 Foreign Minister Noppadon met with Mr. Michael Mukasey, US Attorney General, which the latter expressed his appreciations to the Thai authority on the arrest of Mr. Viktor Bout, suspected international arms dealer. The Thai Foreign Minister also took this opportunity to invite Mr. Mukasey to visit Thailand.
1.3 Foreign Minister Noppadon met with Mr. Stephen Hadley, Assistant for the President on International Security Affairs. The Foreign Minister hoped that the US would restore to Thailand GSP privileges on gold jewelry which was withdrawn in 2007. Regarding the upcoming designation of countries under Special 301 of the 1974 US Trade Act, Foreign Minister Noppadon also hoped that Thailand would be upgraded from the Priority Watch List (PWL) to the Watch List (WL), in which Mr. Hadley would bring the issue to further discuss with concerned authorities. Myanmar was another issue discussed during the meeting. Foreign Minister Noppadon extended his invitation to President George W. Bush to visit Thailand.
1.4 Foreign Minister Noppadon met with Dr, Madeleine Albright, Former US Secretary of State, to discuss several regional issues. Dr. Albright informed that a business group would visit Thailand to seek for the trade and investment opportunities, especially in the Thai stock market, in April 2008.
1.5 Foreign Minister Noppadon attended the commemorative reception on the occasion of the 175th anniversary of the Thai-US relations. Many honourable guests attended the reception, including Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte, Senator Jim Webb and Assistant Secretary of State for East Asia and the Pacific Christopher Hill, members of the diplomatic corps, business community and local think tanks.
1.6 The Thai Foreign Minister attended the business roundtable organized by the US-ASEAN Business Council (USABC). The event was well attended by high-level representatives of American businesses, including Chevron, Ford, Abbott, Merck, AIG and Boeing. The Foreign Minister affirmed the political and economic stability in Thailand for the US investors’ confidence in doing businesses in the Kingdom.
1.7 Foreign Minister Noppadon delivered a speech on the topic of “Thai — US Relations in the Changing Political — Economic Landscape of Southeast Asia,” at Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). The Thai Foreign Minister informed the academics on the political and economic situations in Thailand as well as other related issues, in order to gain the confidence among them.
2. On 25 March 2008, Foreign Minister Noppadon is scheduled to visit Vientiane, Lao PDR as the representative of the Royal Thai Government to sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Electricity Generating Development Cooperation between the Royal Thai Government and the Government of Lao PDR. The cooperation would strengthen the cordial relations between the two countries and support the vision of Lao PDR to become a “Battery of Asia.”
The signing of the said MoU is an outcome of the discussion between the Prime Ministers of Thailand and Lao PDR in Vientiane during the official visit of the Thai Prime Minister from 29 February to 1 March 2008, which both sides agreed in principle to support the private sector to undertake the feasibility study to build a flooding dam on the Mekong River to generate electricity so called ”Ban Kum Hydro Power Project,” locating between Khong Jiam District, Ubon Ratchathani Province and Champasak of Lao PDR. The authorities concerned of both countries would supervise and coordinate with the private sector on the matter and submit the report for consideration of their respective Governments accordingly.
3. Foreign Minister Noppadon will accompany the Prime Minister to pay an official visit to the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on 24 March 2008. During the visit, both sides will discuss various matters of mutual interest, particularly, the transportation linkages and the Joint Strategy for Economic Partnership (JSEP), educational cooperation, as well as security cooperation. On this occasion, the Minister of Social Development and Human Security of Thailand will also sign the Agreement between the Government of the Kingdom of Thailand and the Government of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam on Bilateral Cooperation for Eliminating Trafficking in Persons, Especially Women and Children and Assisting Victims of Trafficking.
Prime Minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Press Division, Department of Information Tel.(02) 643-5170
Fax. (02) 643-5169 E-mail : div0704@mfa.go.th End.
-PM-