Indian PM to visit Thailand to boost strategic partnership

Bangkok, May 22: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will pay an official visit to Thailand from May 30 to 31, the Thai foreign ministry announced here Wednesday.

"The bilateral meeting (between prime ministers of the two countries) reflects the desire of the two sides to elevate Thai-Indian relations to a strategic partnership, as announced in January last year, based on shared values of democracy and respect for human rights and shared interests in promoting sustainable growth and development," said a ministry press release.

The two prime ministers will review the development of existing cooperation as well as explore new areas of cooperation where both countries have mutual interests, it said.

This is the first official visit to Thailand of Prime Minister Singh, who visited Thailand twice before, to attend the 1st Bay of Bengal Initiative Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation Summit in 2004 and the 15th Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit in 2011, reported Xinhua.

The visit aims to strengthen further bilateral cooperation in all areas, especially in trade, investment and tourism as well as enhanced connectivity between Thailand and India and between Southeast Asia and South Asia.

IANS