Suu Kyi arrives in Thailand for three-day official visit

BANGKOK, June 23 (TNA) - Myanmar’s State Counselor and Minister for Foreign Affairs Aung San Suu Kyi has arrived in Thailand for a three-day official visit to the Kingdom, scheduled for June 23-25, at the invitation of the Thai government. Accompanied by her entourage, Daw Suu Kyi arrived at Thailand's main Suvarnabhumi International Airport at around noon on Thursday, when she was welcomed by Thai Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak. Daw Suu Kyi is scheduled to first visit children of Myanmar migrant workers at a school in Bangkok's neighbouring Samut Sakhon Province later on Thursday. On June 24, Daw Suu Kyi will deliver a speech on "Myanmar, ASEAN and the World: The Way Forward" to Thai university students at the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangkok and will then confer with Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai. Daw Suu Kyi will later meet the Thai prime minister at the Government House in the capital, where she and the Thai premier are expected to witness the signing of bilateral agreements and hold a joint press conference, before attending a dinner reception, hosted by the Thai prime minister. Meanwhile, Thai Foreign Ministry Spokesman Sek Wannamethee announced that Daw Suu Kyi's plan on June 25 to visit a temporary refugee camp at Baan Tham Hin in Ratchaburi Province in the central region, where Myanmar refugees stay, has been cancelled due to the weather condition. Prior to the Myanmar state counselor's arrival, the Thai prime minister told journalists he understands that the Myanmar government needs more time to take back Myanmar refugees and the Thai government will offer assistance to the Myanmar refugees on humanitarian grounds. According to the Thai premier, the Myanmar government has to first prepare land to accommodate the refugees, while his government is prepared to discuss with the Myanmar leader on all scheduled issues. (TNA)