Thailand Trade With North Korea Drops 94 Per Cent

By Mohd Haikal Mohd Isa BANGKOK, Aug 9 (Bernama) -- As a member of the United Nations (UN), Thailand has been complying with the various UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions on North Korea, according to the country's foreign minister, Don Pramudwinai here Tuesday. Trade between the two countries has been greatly affected as a result of Bangkok's adherence to the UNSC's resolution on North Korea. "The most obvious effect after we followed those resolutions is the trade value between Thailand and Democratic People's Republic of Korea which has drastically reduced by 94 per cent," he told reporters after holding talks with United States (US) Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Bilateral trade between the two countries from January until June this year dropped to only US$900,000 from US$16.4 million in the same corresponding period last year, said Don. Despite implementing the UNSC's resolutions on North Korea and taking other related actions on the issue, he said Thailand remained friends with both Washington and Pyongyang. Besides issues related to North Korea which have been high on the agenda of the US secretary of state's visit to Bangkok, he and Tillerson also discussed issues on bilateral trade, anti-terrorism and cyber security cooperation. Later after meeting with Don, Tillerson (left) who once worked as an oil and gas executive in Thailand, proceeded to the Government House to meet Thai Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha (right). In a statement issued by the deputy government's spokesman, Lt Gen Weerachon Sukhonpatipak after the meeting, the prime minister, according to him, has assured Tillerson of Thailand's roadmap for a return to democracy. Since the May 2014 coup, Thailand has been under military rule. On the South China Sea issues and crisis on the Korean Peninsula, Prayut told Tillerson of Thailand's readiness to extend cooperation and support to the United States. Both men also discussed various issues concerning bilateral cooperation such as economy and efforts to combat human trafficking. On Prayut's upcoming visit to Washington, Weerachon said Tillerson hoped he would welcome the Thai prime minister and his delegates to the White House soon as both officials continued their discussion on the date of the state visit. After meeting Prayut, Tillerson left for Kuala Lumpur to continue his visit. (photoBERNAMA) -- BERNAMA