Myanmar president to visit Thailand

BANGKOK, July 19 (TNA) - Myanmar’s President U Thein Sein will pay a three-day official visit to Thailand, starting this Sunday, and will hold talks with Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on ways to strengthen bilateral relations between the two neighbouring countries, according to an announcement issued by the Thai Foreign Affairs Ministry. During the visit, Thein Sein, his first after being appointed as president on March 30, 2011, is scheduled to confer with Yingluck on joint cooperation on several projects, especially Tavoy deep sea port, industrial estate and the road linking Tavoy and Kanchanaburi province. Thein Sein is also due to visit an industrial estate and Laem Chabang deep sea port in eastern Chon Buri province. The two countries, both members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), have agreed to strengthen their cooperation such as in suppressing drug trafficking along the border for the benefit of the two nations and for the region as a whole. Thein Sein has visited Thailand while he was prime minister between April 29 – May 1, 2008. He was earlier scheduled to visit Thailand when the kingdom hosted the World Economic Forum on East Asia 2012, held in Bangkok between May 31- June 1. The planned visit was, however, cancelled. (TNA)