Thai PM leaves for APEC Summit in Russia

BANGKOK, September 7 (TNA) - Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has left for Russia to attend the ongoing 2012 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit and related forums. Yingluck told journalists in Bangkok Friday morning prior to her departure that the 20th APEC Summit on the Russky Island in the Russian Vladivostok City, themed “Integrate to Grow, Innovate to Prosper”, is aimed at promoting liberal trade and investment, economic integration, food security, reliable supply chains and innovation. Yingluck acknowledged that, during the 2012 APEC Summit itself scheduled for September 8-9, she will insist on Thailand's leadership in transportation networking in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and on the government’s Thai Kitchen to the World policy by serving Thai farm products to regional and global markets, which will also build on APEC's food security status. According to the Thai prime minister, she also plans to discuss with other regional leaders on ongoing European economic problems, flooding, Thailand’s readiness to supply food and farm products to the international community and liberal trade to promote Thai exports. The prime minister revealed that she will have bilateral talks with the leaders of Russia and Chile, noting that both both Moscow and Bangkok have played important roles in technologies and energy and Thailand has remained sound relations with Russia, which is Thailand's most important trade partner in terms of trade values in Eastern Europe. (TNA)