Thai government prepares for Obama's visit

BANGKOK, November 16 (TNA) - Secretary-general of the Thai prime minister Suranand Vejjajiva convened agencies concerned on Friday to prepare the reception of US President Barack Obama, who is scheduled to pay an official visit to Thailand from November 18-19. Suranand told journalists that the concerned parties will have a dress rehearsal for Obama's reception at Bangkok's Government House Friday evening, after Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra hosts a dinner party for visiting Ugandan President Youveri Museveni and his wife, Janet Kataaha Museveni. Concerned officials of the US Embassy in Bangkok, representatives of the White House and security guards of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI also inspected preparations at the Government House, where a landscape improvement has been arranged. A special operational police unit, meanwhile, conducted an exercise on the protection of very important persons or VIPs at Thailand's main Suvarnabhumi International Airport, during which helicopters and vehicles were deployed in a hostage rescue drill. A bomb squad also participated in the activity. Police Lieutenant General Nares Nanthachote, Commissioner of Provincial Police Region 1, acknowledged that the drill went smoothly, confirming that his personnel are now ready for the VIPs protection mission. (TNA)