Transport projects raised by Thai PM on sidelines of 2nd LMC Leaders' Meeting

BANGKOK, January 11 (TNA) - Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha has stressed on, among others, cooperation in transport infrastructure development with China and Cambodia on the sidelines of the 2nd Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC) Leaders' Meeting in Phnom Penh. Deputy Government Spokesman Lieutenant General Werachon Sukhondhapatipak told journalists that during Wednesday's talks, the Thai prime minister and his Chinese counterpart Li Keqiang agreed on the importance of the construction of a new high speed railway in Thailand by the Chinese side, which was started recently, as the strategic coopertion has paved the way for bilateral cooperation in other projects. The deputy spokesman said the Chinese premier also promised to support new investment projects in Thailand's Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) by Chinese firms and more Chinese tourist arrivals in the Thai Kingdom, while also pledging to continue working together with the Thai government to solve the problem of zero-dollar tours, in which tourists were earlier offered tour packages at lower prices than the real costs but they were then overcharged through shopping or services at shops in the tour operators' networks or they came to Thailand on tourist visa but staying to run business illegally under a fraudulent registration and threatening national security. According to the deputy spokesman, Chinese State Councilor Wang Yong will soon lead a delegation of hundreds of Chinese private business operators, particularly those running modern technological firms, to visit Thailand to explore their investment opportunities in the EEC Project and in the eastern U Ta-pao Airport expansion plan Besides, China will work together with Thailand on the further development of workers' skills and vocational educational projects, as well as import more Thai farm products, especially rice and rubber. During his separate bilateral talks with his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen, the Thai prime minister, meanwhile, agreed with the Cambodian leader on expanding the Thai-Cambodian cooperation, particularly on the construction of a new cross-border railway by 2020, linking Thai border areas with Phnom Penh, and on the broader connectivity between the two neighboring countries in the ASEAN Community (AC) through the Ban Nong Ian Permanent Checkpoint in Sa Kaeo Province in the Thai East. (TNA)