Thai defence minister visits China Oct 28-31

BANGKOK, October 30 (TNA) - Thai Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwon is paying a four-day visit to China, scheduled for October 28-31, to further strengthen bilateral relations between Beijing and Bangkok and to prepare for Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha's trip to China in the near future. Accompanied by his entourage, including Permanent Secretary for Defence General Sirichai Diskul and former deputy prime minister and finance minister Somkid Jatusripitak, General Prawit is scheduled to meet his Chinese counterpart Chang Wanquan to introduce himself, along with strengthening the Thai-Sino relations. Defence Ministry Spokesman Colonel Khongcheep Tantrawanit told journalists on Thursday that the Thai defence minister's ongoing trip to China is at the invitation of China's Ministry of National Defense. During his stay in China, the spokesman said the Thai defence minister and his entourage were also set to discuss ways to expand bilateral cooperation between Thailand and China, covering convincing China to purchase more Thai farm products. Meanwhile, former Thai prime ministers Yingluck Shinawatra and Thaksin Shinawatra are also in China and Royal Thai Army Spokesman Winthai Suvari told reporters that ex-premier Yingluck has asked for permission from the army-led National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), also headed by Prime Minister General Prayut, to postpone her return to Thailand for a while, from earlier set on October 26. (TNA)