Thailand, Japan to expand trade, investment

NEW YORK, UNITED STATES, September 26 (TNA) - Thailand and Japan eye to expand bilateral trade and investment, especially in infrastructure development projects covering high-speed trains, urban rail transport, satellite technology and water management. Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister General Tanasak Patimapragorn, who is leading a Thai delegation to attend the 69th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, told TNA of the update, following his talks with Japanese Foreign Affairs Minister Fumio Kishida on the sidelines of the UNGA 2014 on Thursday (local time). General Tanasak said he told the Japanese minister that the Thai government will take good care of Japanese investors in Thailand and the Thai administration has laid out open and transparent economic policies on bidding of state-run projects, while agreeing to cooperate in international platforms, including the United Nations, as well. The deputy prime minister, who is also Thai Armed Forces Chief and a deputy chief of the army-led National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), also thanked the Japanese government for understanding Thai politics and the Thai government's determination to proceed with its roadmap toward national reform and sustainable democratic system. The Thai deputy premier, who will retire from his armed forces chief seat on September 30, 2014, quoted the Japanese minister as admiring Thailand for helping build regional land, sea and air connectivity, as well as reducing gap in order to strengthen the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), set to be formed by the end of 2015. Besides, the Japanese minister praised Thailand's support for Japan's role on the Eastern-Western Economic Corridors and an assistance on help bridge regional land and sea transportation. (TNA)