DPM satisfied with Thai-Myanmar JC meeting

NAY PYI TAW, MYANMAR, November 22 (TNA) - Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul says he is satisfied with results of Friday's meeting of the Thai-Myanmar Joint Commission (JC), the 7th of its kind but first resumed in 11 years. After chairing the 7th Thai-Myanmar JC Meeting in Myanmar's capital, Nay Pyi Taw, jointly with Myanmar Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin, Surapong announced that the meeting was successful. Surapong told journalists that the 7th Thai-Myanmar JC Meeting discussed border trade cooperation, the development of border economic zones and the permanent opening of the Singkorn border crossing in Prachuap Khiri Khan Province in the Upper Thai South, as well as education support and the skill training and development for Myanmar refugees at their temporary shelters in Thailand pending their repatriation, legal registrations of migrant workers, nationality verifications for Rohingya immigrants and the cross-border connection of transport routes. The Thai deputy prime minister quoted the chief minister of Myanmar's Tanintharyi Region as confirming that Myanmar is ready for the permanent opening of the Singkorn border pass as soon as possible. Besides, the meeting discussed Thailand's support for Myanmar to be the chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which is expected to facilitate the formation of the ASEAN Community (AC) by 2015. According to the Thai deputy prime minister, Friday's meeting also addressed the Dawei economic zone development project and, on the occasion, Thailand asked Myanmar to convince Japan to be a third investing country in it. The Thai deputy premier also delivered donated sports gear and computers to Myanmar to be used during the neighbouring country's host of the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) next month. Thailand will host the 8th Thai-Myanmar JC Meeting next year, but its venue and schedule have not yet been set. Thai Prime Minister and Defence Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is, meanwhile, scheduled to attend the next SEA Games's opening ceremony on December 11, after presiding over a ceremony to open the new Thai-Lao friendship Bridge in Chiang Khong District of Thailand's northern Chiang Rai Province. (TNA)