Thailand-Sri Lanka trade set to reach US$1.5b by 2020

BANGKOK, June 21 (TNA) - Thailand and Sri Lanka have targeted to boost bilateral trade to reach 1.5 billion US dollars by 2020. Deputy Government Spokesman Lieutenant General Werachon Sukondhapatipak told journalists that the joint trade target was confirmed by both Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha and Sri Lankan Ambassador in Bangkok H.E. Mrs. Kshenuka Dhireni Senewiratne during the outgoing Sri Lankan top envoy paid a courtesy on the Thai leader to bid farewell at Bangkok's Government House earlier in the day. "Both the Thai prime minister and the outgoing Sri Lankan ambassador stressed on the mutual interest and stance of the two countries to proceed with negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA) later this year, the third round so far, with a hope on using the Thailand-Sri Lanka FTA, if concluded and implemented, to be a key mechanism to boost the value of the two-way trade to meet the joint target in due course", the deputy spokesman stated. The deputy spokesman said the outgoing Sri Lankan top envoy also stressed on sound and longstanding bilateral relations between Thailand and Sri Lanka over the past 800 years and expressed her appreciation to cooperation and support the Thai Kingdom has given to her nation so far, including the promotion and the revival of the Sri Lankan tourism and the technological transfer on the artificial rainmaking. The deputy spokesman revealed that the Thai prime minister, meanwhile, thanked Sri Lanka for promoting the sound relationship between Bangkok and Colombo so far, seen by, for instance, the latter's dispatch of ฺthe Lord Buddha's relics for public worships in Thailand and Bodhi Tree saplings to the Thai government to pay tribute to late King Bhumibol Adulyadej and to give a blessing to His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn. The deputy spokesman also quoted the Thai leader as affirming that Bangkok will continue to strengthen bilateral relations with Colombo in all areas, especially in the religious and cultural spheres. (TNA)