Thailand's friendly policies praised by int'l envoys

BANGKOK, February 20 (TNA) - Thailand's friendly policies and leading roles in the region have been praised by a top UN official and a top Israeli envoy in Bangkok. During her courtesy call on Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister General Tanasak Patimapragorn at the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bangkok on Wednesday, Dr. Shamshad Akhtar, new Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP), who is also a former assistant UN secretary-general for economic development, lauded Thailand's leading roles in the management of disasters in the region, particularly in donating 10 million US dollars to set up a regional fund on the joint development of tsunami warning system as a back-up for developing countries. Dr. Akhtar also praised Thailand's strong roles in economic, social and sustainable development on international stages. Besides, both sides discussed cooperation between Thailand and the United Nations and expressed their appreciation to close relations between the Thai Kingdom and the United Nations. The Thai deputy prime minister and foreign minister took the opportunity to stress on a firm stance of Bangkok, as the selected location of UN-ESCAP head office, on supporting the UN-ESCAP's operations on the continual basis. Also on Wednesday, Israeli Ambassador to Thailand Simon Roded paid a courtesy call on Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan at the Ministry of Defence in the capital, during which both sides exchanged their views on regional security and bilateral military cooperation between Israel and Thailand, especially in the defence industry. Thai Defence Ministry Spokesman Colonel Kongcheep Tantravanich later told journalists that Israel has high military potential and capability, while Tel Aviv is also ready to transfer military and satellite technologies to Bangkok to widen and strengthen bilateral security and economic cooperation. According to the spokesman, the Israeli top envoy also thanked the Thai government for facilitating and taking good care of the life and property of international visitors to Thailand. (TNA)