Abe arrives in Thailand for two-day official visit

BANGKOK, January 17 (TNA) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe arrived in Thailand on Thursday for a two-day official visit as the guest of the Thai government, scheduled for January 17-18, making him become the first Japanese Premier who pays an official visit to the Thai Kingdom in 11 years. Accompanied by his wife, Akie, Abe was honourably received by Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Pongthep Thepkanchana, Commerce Minister Boonsong Teriyapirom, the Director-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' Department of Protocol and the Japanese Ambassador to Thailand. Abe then visited the Thai-Nichi Institute of Technology on Thursday afternoon to foster cooperation on the production of graduates and postgraduates to support businesses of Japanese investors in Thailand and to deliver books from Japan for students and lecturers. The visiting Japanese Prime Minister is scheduled to meet his Thai counterpart Yingluck Shinawatra on Thursday evening to discuss bilateral and multilateral issues, as well as regional cooperation and exchange of views on the Japan-Thailand Economic Partnership Agreement (JTEPA), based on long time diplomatic relations between the two Asian neighbours for 125 years, during which democracy and mutual interest have jointly been promoted. The Japanese and Thai leaders are also scheduled to discuss bilateral cooperation between the two countries on infrastructure development, flood prevention, high-speed railway and satellite remote sensing projects, as well as on human resource development, as both countries need more skilled labour. During his two-day stay in Thailand, the visiting Japanese Premier will also be granted an audience with His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej at Siriraj Hospital in the Thai capital. Prior to Thailand, the newly-elected Japanese Prime Minister visited Vietnam and he will then visit Indonesia after Thailand, reflecting Japan attaches great importance to the three countries, all are member countries of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and their relations. The past official visit to Thailand was done by former Japanese prime minister Junichiro Koizumi in 2002. (TNA)