Bahrain backs Thailand's roadmap

BANGKOK, October 21 (TNA) - Bahrain has supported the Thai government's roadmap on national reform toward democracy. A Thai government spokesman, Major General Werachon Sukondhapatiphak, told journalists that visiting Bahrain Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman al Khalifa voiced the support on October 20 during a meeting with his Thai counterpart General Prayut Chan-ocha at Bangkok's Government House. Major General Werachon said the Bahrain Prime Minister, thus, promised to help explain Thailand's situation to other countries in the Middle East and even on global stages. As the first foreign prime minister who visited General Prayut in Thailand after he took office in August 2014, the Bahrain Prime Minister also expressed his understanding why the Thai army-led National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), led by General Prayut, had to take control of national administrative power on May 22, 2014, as national security is important and forms the basis for national solutions. The Thai government spokesman quoted the visiting Bahrain Prime Minister as saying although there may be some international pressures, General Prayut has taken the right path. The Bahrain Prime Minister also promised to expand trade and investment cooperation with Thailand, stating that Bahrain is ready to buy Thai quality goods, especially farm products. According to the Thai government spokesman, the Bahrain Prime Minister agreed with inter-country cooperation to strengthen farm products in the world's Eastern hemisphere and turn the region into a trade centre with more bargaining power in global arenas. In response, the Thai prime minister proposed that an existing joint committee be used as a mechanism to help expand cooperation between Bahrain and Thailand in tourism, farm products and health business. The spokesman acknowledged the Thai premier was glad that Bahrain understandsThailand's situation and expressed his confidence that sound cooperation between the two allied nations should be further growing, as Bahrain has had the closest ties with Thailand among countries in the Middle East. Besides, the Bahrain Prime Minister invited his Thai counterpart to pay an official visit to Bahrain. (TNA)