Cambodia, Thailand sign three MOUs

PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA, October 31 (TNA) - Cambodia and Thailand have signed three memoranda of understanding (MOUs) to further strengthen bilateral ties and cooperation in economic and social spheres, as well as help solve border problems. The three MOUs were signed in Phnom Penh, Cambodia's capital, on Thursday afternoon and were witnessed by visiting Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha and his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen. Under the three MOUs, Phnom Penh and Bangkok will jointly eradicate human trafficking and to assist victims, build rail links to support cross-border connectivity between the two neighbouring countries and all other member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and to cooperate on tourism activities. Under the MOU on the construction of rail links to facilitate cross-border land transportation, Cambodia and Thailand will set up a joint committee tasked mainly with studying on how to build and facilitate land transportation between the two neighbouring nations, the cooperation of which will not get involved with pending border problems. If any problem occurred during the MOU proceeding, Phnom Penh and Bangkok will find ways to settle them in friendly manners. During a plenary session, Cambodian and Thai authorities also discussed social cooperation, in which the Thai side is prepared to assist Cambodia on public health, including personnel support on a regular basis, as well as occupational and labour skill development, especially for people living along the common border. Hun Sen also requested the Thai side to jointly solve transnational crime through information exchanges. The visiting Thai prime minister and his wife, Naraporn, were later granted an audience with Cambodian King Narodom Sihamoni, during which the Thai premier reportedly informed the Cambodian monarch that his purpose to visit Cambodia is to introduce himself after taking office in early September 2014 and to strengthen relations between the two neighbouring countries. The Thai prime minister and his entourage, including his wife, are scheduled to return home later Friday, ending his October 30-31 official trip to neighbouring Cambodia. (TNA)