Thai parliamentarians to discuss establishment of ASEAN institute for education

BANGKOK, March 18 (TNA) - Thai parliamentarians are seeking cooperation from four neighbouring countries on the establishment of an ASEAN defence college where investors and business operators can study important laws, conditions and factors of member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to support the formation of the ASEAN Economic Community by 2015. Sunai Julapongsathorn, a ruling Puea Thai Party MP and a member of the Thai House committee on foreign affairs, told journalists on Monday that his panel will discuss the plan at a luncheon meeting with the ambassadors of Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar and Cambodia in Bangkok on March 19. Sunai said that his committee will also invite presidents of friendship associations with the four countries to the meeting, including Prachuab Chaiyasarn, President of the Thailand-Vietnam Friendship Association, and Virabongsa Ramangkura, President of the Thai-Lao Friendship Association. Sunai acknowledged that Tuesday's meeting will mainly discuss cooperation of Thailand and the four neighbouring countries on the proposed establishment of an ASEAN defence college where regional investors and business operators can study important laws, conditions and factors of ASEAN member states to support the formation of the AEC. The Thai MP pointed out that the regional college can offer short-term training courses and the five countries can take turn to be the headquarters of the college, and that Laos, Vietnam, Myanmar and Cambodia have initially agreed with the idea. According to the Thai parliamentarian, the ASEAN defence college, if agreed to be set up, will be the first regional educational institute founded by the legislature. The Thai MP noted that Tuesday's meeting is also aimed to strengthen relations between Thailand and the four neighbouring countries in the Mekong River Basin, which are also ASEAN member countries. (TNA)