Thai prime minister to visit India next week

Bangkok, June 22 (UNI) Thai Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont will travel to India on a state visit next week during which the two countries will sign a deal on renewable energy cooperation.

The head of Thailand's interim civilian government set up after the 19 September military takeover last year is scheduled to arrive in Delhi on June 25 night for a three-day visit, the Thai Prime Minister's Office announced today.

The visit is aimed to strengthen the close relationship between the Kingdom of Thailand and India and enhance the cooperation between the two nations, the announcement stated.

It has also proven that Thailand has established a relationship with India as a friendly neighbouring country and the strategic partner,the announcement added.

Thailand's military-installed head of civilian government has so far made bilateral visits to Japan and China and all other member countries of the ten-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Mr Surayud will be accorded an official welcome at Rashtrapati Bhawan on the morning of June 26 and then visit Rajghat.

Besides meetings with President A P J Kalam and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the Thai leader will be called on by Leader of the Opposition L K Advani, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Minister of Energy, Vilas uttemwar and Commerce Minister, Kamal Nath.

The highlight of the visit will be the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Energy of Thailand and the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy of India on cooperation in renewable energy.

Besides the India-Thailand free trade agreement, discussions will also be held on bilateral and regional security concerns, the second BIMSTEC summit to be held in New Delhi next year and the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation framework.

Also on June 26, the Thai prime minister will address the India-Thailand Business Forum.

The Indian prime minister will host a dinner for his Thai counterpart the same night.

The Thai prime minister and his delegation are scheduled to leave New Delhi for Varanasi on June 27 to visit the temple of Mrigadayavana Mahavihara and leave for Bangkok the same day.

UNI