Thai PM meets UN Chief in New York

NEW YORK, September 28 (TNA) - Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha has met and held bilateral talks with United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, affirming that his government's ongoing roadmap on national reforms and a process to a new draft of the Constitution and related laws are aimed to lead to a new general election in the Kingdom by mid-2017. Thai Government Deputy Spokesman Major General Werachon Sukondhapatipak told journalists on Monday that, during the meeting with the UN chief at the UN's Secretariat Building in New York on September 27 (local time), on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly 2015, Prime Minister General Prayut also expressed gratitude towards the UN secretary-general for inviting him to the UN General Assembly and promised to support the constructive roles of the UN chief. Besides, the prime minister discussed Thailand's application for a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council (UNSC) during 2017-2018. According to the deputy government spokesman, the Thai prime minister told the UN secretary-general that Thailand has gained support from all other member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for the new application, after the Kingdom was a UNSC member during 1985-1986. (TNA)