Myanmar House Speaker visits Thailand

BANGKOK, November 24 (TNA) - Myanmar House of Nationalities Khin Aung Myint is paying a three-day official visit to Thailand, scheduled for November 23-25, as the guest of the National Legislative Assembly (NLA), aimed to boost cooperation, bilateral relations, understanding and exchange of legislative knowledge. NLA President Pornpet Wichitcholchai and two NLA Vice Presidents, Surachai Liengboonlertchai and Pirasak Porchit, officially welcomed the visiting Myanmar House Speaker at the Thai Parliament building in Bangkok on Monday. Pornpet told the Myanmar House Speaker that Thailand is undergoing national reform for sustainable democracy, with the army-led National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) setting a three-stage plan for the national reform. Pornpet explained that the first stage of national reform concerned the promotion of national reconciliation, the ongoing second stage is the work of the NLA, the National Reform Council (NRC) and the government and the upcoming third stage will see the next and acceptable general election by October 2015. The NLA president stated that NCPO supports the comprehensive development of friendships with neighboring countries and the exchange of senior executives' visits and thanked Myanmar's leaders for understanding Thailand's situation. In response, the visiting Myanmar House speaker said he is glad that Myanmar's authorities were the first in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to visit Thailand after the formation of the NLA, expressing his hope that his trip to Thailand will help boost Thai-Myanmar relations and understanding, including those concerning their legislative authorities. The visiting Myanmar House speaker also recommended that members and staffs of the Parliaments of both countries exchange their legislative knowledge. (TNA)