Bangkok hosts 11th Thai-Cambodian GBC Meeting

BANGKOK, March 24 (TNA) - Bangkok hosts the 11th Thai-Cambodian General Border Committee (GBC) Meeting, in which military leaders of both sides participate. Thursday's 11th Thai-Cambodian GBC Meeting was jointly chaired by Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan and his visiting Cambodian counterpart General Tea Banh, with top agenda including cooperation on border development, bilateral trade and investment and the improvement of living standards of both Thai and Cambodian people. Hailing the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries this year, General Prawit also praised generosity extended by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn in supporting Cambodia’s public health and education. General Tea Banh later told journalists that both sides considered progress made under several bilateral cooperation frameworks, including border crossing, migrant workers, narcotics suppression, agriculture and public health. Besides, the meeting discussed further cooperation between security officers of the two neighbouring countries. General Tea Banh said the meeting also agreed on the reinforcement along the two countries’ border to prevent criminals or wrongdoers from illegally crossing into the other country. General Tea Banh noted that the one-day 11th Thai-Cambodian GBC did not discuss issues relating to the Preah Vihear Temple, while plans on drawing more international tourists to visit the ancient temple in the Cambodian side have been mapped out by the Phnom Penh government but those in the Thai side have not yet been concluded. (TNA)