Thai, Indonesian ombudsmen ink cooperation agreement

BANGKOK, April 2 (TNA) - Ombudsmen of Thailand and Indonesia have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) in Bangkok to actively protect their people in each other's country. Raksagecha Chaechai, Spokesman and Secretary-General of Thailand's Office of the Ombudsman, told journalists on Thursday that Thai Chief Ombudsman Sriracha Vongsarayankura signed the MOU with his visiting Indonesian counterpart Danang Girindrawardana earlier in the day for reciprocal care for Thai and Indonesian complainants on each other's soil. The spokesman said that Thailand also plans to expand such cooperation with other allied countries, especially those in other member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as the 10-member bloc will liberalize trade and labor movements in the coming months. Based on the MOU, the spokesman noted, ombudsmen in Thailand and Indonesia can take swift actions to help compatriots in trouble in other countries. From now on, the spokesman stated, any people in Thailand and Indonesia who suffer from actions of government officials can seek help right away from the Office of the Ombudsman in the country where they stay. (TNA)