Canadian PM visits marine police, boxing gym

BANGKOK, March 25 (TNA) - Visiting Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper on Saturday visited marine police headquarters and discussed illegal human and goods smuggling with Thai national police chief Pol. Gen. Priewpan Damapong. Harper on his last day of the three-day official visit to Thailand visited the marine police headquarters in Samut Prakan province and listened to a briefing on illegal marine human smuggling and routes used by the traffickers as well as on joint operation between the two countries on goods smuggling via shipping lines. Pol. Gen. Priewpan later told journalists that he had conferred with Harper on an extradition of people illegally travelling to Canada as well as on cooperation of marine police between the two countries and on an exchange of officials to temporary work in each other country. The Canadian prime minister later visited a Thai boxing training gymnasium called the Jitti gym on Ratchadaphisek Road in Bangkok and was welcomed by more than 10 Canadians who are receiving Thai boxing training at the camp. Expressing his admiration on Thai boxing, Harper even held a punching bag for Thai youths while training. The Thailand visit is part of Harper's Asian tour that will take him to Japan Sunday and Monday and to the South Korean capital next Monday and Tuesday where he will participate in the Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul. (TNA)