Malaysia, Thailand hold talks on cooperation

BANGKOK, October 9 (TNA) - Thailand’s Deputy Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai has held talks with his Malaysian counterpart Datuk Hamzah Zainuddin on bilateral cooperation between Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok, a plan to visit Malaysia in the near future by Thai Prime Minister General Prayuth Chan-ocha, who is on an official visit to Myanmar from October 9-10, as well as several other key issues. According to the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs' report, released on Thursday, the discussions were held on the sidelines of the 14th Meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim Association held in Perth, Australia, from October 6-9. The official report said the Malaysian and Thai deputy foreign ministers discussed issues on mutual benefits for the two neighbouring countries and for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), including a planned official visit to Malaysia by the Thai prime minister and the Thai government’s readiness to host the 6th annual consultation between Malaysian and Thai prime ministers in Thailand in early 2015. Both also discussed preparations for the next Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation (JC) meeting and the next Joint Development Strategy for Border Areas (JDS) meeting to be hosted by Malaysia. The JC was established in 1987 as a main bilateral mechanism to promote comprehensive cooperation between Thailand and Malaysia. The JDS was set up in 2004 to promote the well being, as well as economic and human resources development of people in five southernmost Thai provinces, including Songkhla, Satun, Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat, and four northernmost Malaysian states, including Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan and Perak. (TNA)