Thai PM:Visit to Bahrain is successful

BAHRAIN, May 15 (TNA) - Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has proclaimed her official visit to Bahrain, from May 13-15, successful, as Thailand plans to use Bahrain as a distribution base for Thai farm products in the Middle East and Bahrain seeks convenient visas for its citizens who need medical treatment in Thailand. Yingluck said last night that she received a warm welcome in Bahrain and considered her three-day visit to the Gulf state highly successful, as Thailand will export more products to Bahrain, which demands food security. Besides, Yingluck acknowledged that Thailand can also use Bahrain to distribute Thai products, especially rice, fruits, frozen chicken and halal food, in the Middle East, and that Thai and Bahraini officials at operational levels will meet late this year to prepare for the businesses. The Thai premier told journalists that her talks with Bahrain's authorities also covered health, tourism and cultural issues, and that Bahrain wants Thailand to issue visas to more Bahraini people who need medical treatment at hospitals in Thailand. The Thai prime minister revealed that Bahrain is also interested in renewable energy, as the Gulf state uses much energy to cope with its hot weather and it needs to save energy, which is seen as a good opportunity for bilateral cooperation in this field. Premier Yingluck, meanwhile, met Thai people who live in Bahrain at her hotel Monday evening (local time), during which she asked them to be good representatives of Thailand and told them that her government has actively rehabilitated flood victims in Thailand and the situation has already returned to normal, promising that her government will carry on its attempts to prevent any repeated severe flooding. The prime minister suggested that the Thai people in Bahrain seek help from her government through the Thai Embassy to Bahrain and her administration will do the best to serve them. (TNA)