Thai, Australian PMs discuss bilateral cooperation

AUSTRALIA, May 28 (TNA) - Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and her Australian counterpart Julia Gillard discussed various aspects of bilateral cooperation in Canberra, Australia's capital, Monday morning (local time). Yingluck, who is paying an official visit to Australia from May 26-29, was officially received by her Australian counterpart Gillard at the Parliament building in Canberra at 9am (local time). Both Australian and Thai prime ministers then attended a full-panel discussion at the Cabinet Room, during which the two leaders expressed satisfaction with the 60th anniversary of bilateral relations and discussed Thai and Australian cooperation at bilateral, regional and international levels. Both sides promised to expand security and economic cooperation between Canberra and Bangkok and the Thai prime minister also appreciated Australian attempts to boost security in the region, especially when it comes to narcotics and human trafficking. The Australian and Thai leaders agreed as well to jointly promote security in the region, suppress transnational crime and terrorism, control the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and tackle illegal immigration. Regarding businesses, Thailand has realized that Australia can pick up rapidly from problems resulting from the ongoing world financial and economic woes; while Australia has been aware of Thailand’s quick economic recovery in the first quarter of this year and the Kingdom's potential 6 per cent economic growth on average throughout this year. At present, the Thailand-Australia Free Trade Agreement (TAFTA) is effectively boosting bilateral trade and its value is expected to grow by 20 per cent by 2016 and both countries will hold a meeting of their joint TAFTA committee next month. Premier Yingluck has also brought nearly 70 leading Thai business operators to Australia, including those from the Thai energy, logistics, agricultural, food, educational, tourism and auto parts sectors. After the full-panel meeting, the Australian and visiting Thai premiers witnessed the signing of two memoranda of understanding (MOU) on educational and training cooperation and on the exchange of visits of Thai and Australian members of parliament between the King Prajadhipok’s Institute and the Australian Political Exchange Council. (TNA)