Belgian Crown Prince to visit Thailand March 17-22

BANGKOK, March 11 (TNA) - Belgian Crown Prince Philippe and his wife, Princess Mathilde, are scheduled to visit Thailand from March 17-22 as the guests of Their Majesties the King and the Queen, aimed at strengthening long-standing relations and enhancing cooperation on trade and investment between Bangkok and Brussels. About 200 high-ranking government officials and leading business persons of Belgium, including Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Didier Reynders, Minister-President of Flanders Kris Peeters and Vice-President and Minister of the Economy, SMEs, Foreign Trade and New Technologies of the Walloon Government Jean-Claude Marcourt, will accompany the Belgian royal couple. Some 170 Belgian business operators accompanying the Belgian Crown Prince, who is also the Honorary Chairman of the Belgian Foreign Trade Board, represent 105 leading Belgian companies appearing interested in cooperating with Thailand in several areas, including alternative and clean energy, health care, medical supplies, agro-industry, food, infrastructures and logistics. Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra will be granted an audience with the Belgian Crown Prince and his wife at Bangkok's Government House on March 18 and will host a dinner reception for the Belgian royal couple and their entourage. The Belgian Crown Prince is also scheduled to attend a seminar organized to present trade and investment opportunities in Thailand to the Belgian business operators. (TNA)