Next Thailand-Russia trade talks set April 20-21

BANGKOK, April 18 (TNA) - Thailand will host the upcoming meeting of Sub-Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation between Russia and Thailand, the third of kind, in Bangkok during April 20-21. Deputy Government Spokesman Lieutenant General Werachon Sukondhapatipak told journalists that the Thai Cabinet endorsed a framework of the upcoming two-day meeting during its weeking meeting at Bangkok's Government House on April 18. The deputy spokesman said the upcoming meeting is one of mechanisms to boost bilateral trade and investment between Russia and Thailand to increase by five-folds to reach 10 billion US dollars by 2019, as earlier targeted by both sides. The deputy spokesman noted that the April 20-21 meeting will be a follow-up of previous discussions on various fields of bilateral cooperation between Moscow and Bangkok when Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha visited Russia in May 2016. According to the deputy spokesman, Thailand will facilitate trade and promote investment in area that will benefit both countries and will also work to reduce trade barriers and expand cooperation with Russia in the the fields of tourism, energy and science. Besides, the Thai Cabinet approved a draft agreement between the Russian and the Thai governments on military technical cooperation, covering the development of military products and weapons maintenance. (TNA)