Thai PM visits Sri Lanka

BANGKOK, July 12 (TNA) – Thai Prime Minister is scheduled to visit Sri Lanka from July 12-13 to enhance cooperation in key areas including trade and investment. Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha will be accompanied by Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai and Minister Attached to the Prime Minister’s Office Kobsak Pootrakool. The purpose of the visit is to further strengthen the bilateral relations between the two countries to the level of Strategic Economic Partnership and boost cooperation in trade and investment, technical cooperation, religious and cultural ties and tourism as well as to exchange views on regional issues, particularly maritime connectivity. During the visit, Gen Prayut is scheduled to hold a bilateral discussion and co-chair the plenary meeting with President of Sri Lanka, Maithripala Sirisena. Both leaders will witness the signing of important documents including the Treaty on the Transfer of Offenders and on Co-operation in the Enforcement of Penal Sentences, a Memorandum of Understanding on Strategic Economic Partnership, a Memorandum of Understanding between Ministry of Social Welfare and Primary Industries and Kasetsart University on Technological Collaboration Related to Value Addition of Primary Products and a Joint Action Programme for Cooperation on Sustainable Community Development Model based on the Application on Sufficiency Economy Philosophy in Sri Lanka. Gen Prayut will be visiting Kandy to pay respect to the sacred Tooth Relic. Sri Lankan government will give a sapling of the holy Bodhi tree to the Thai Minister to grow in Thailand. (TNA)