Japanese PM ends visit to Thailand, departs for Indonesia

BANGKOK, January 18 (TNA) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe wrapped up his two-day official visit to Thailand on Friday morning and has left for Indonesia, the second leg of his ongoing Southeast Asian tour to consolidate business ties. Accompanied by his wife and other members of his entourage, Abe was sent off at Bangkok's Don Mueang Airport by Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Education Minister Pongthep Thepkanchana and his wife on behalf of the Thai government. During his trip to Thailand, from January 17-18, Abe held a plenary discussion with the Thai government, led by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, resulting in both Bangkok and Tokyo having agreed to further promote the Japan–Thailand Economic Partnership Agreement (JTEPA), a free-trade agreement between the two countries, as well as other infrastructure development projects in Thailand and with Thailand, namely flood prevention systems, high speed trains and the development of the Dawei Special Economic Zone and related projects in Myanmar to develop connectivity between East Asia, South Asia and Europe. The Thai and Japanese leaders have also agreed that Bangkok and Tokyo work together to maintain peace and stability in Asia, which will promote a favourable atmosphere facilitating business development and well beings of people in the region. Updated international media reports said the Japanese Premier has cancelled part of his scheduled trip in Southeast Asia due to Wednesday night's hostage crisis at a gas plant in Algeria, in which Japanese nationals were among those killed or remained unaccounted for. (TNA)