Thailand Papua New Guinea to upgrade diplomatic relations

Published on March 26, 2013 by TFP   ·   No Comments

PORT MORESBY, 26 March 2013 (NNT) â€" Thailand and Papua New Guinea have agreed to upgrade their diplomatic relations after Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s visit to the South Pacific country.

Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul said on Monday that the Thai Premier’s first official visit has been successful in many ways, especially with the Embassy of Papua New Guinea to soon be officially opened in Thailand and the Royal Thai Embassy also to be opened there.

Mr. Surapong said the Foreign Ministry has planned to include Papua New Guinea in the list of 28 countries, that Thai Embassy and Consulates will be adjusted in a bid to help turn them into new and concrete destinations for Thai products within the next 5 years.

He added that about 500 more officials and staffs will be sent to station in the country once the Cabinet approval is granted.

The Foreign Minister also stated that Papua New Guinea has agreed with the visa waiver for Thai travelers, after some 1,600 workers have traveled there to work in the petroleum industry already.

And with the South Pacific nation’s average GDP of 8% and plan to be the APEC host in 5 years, Mr. Surapong reckoned that Thailand is having a good chance to make more investments there.

He went on to say that Thailand has been asked to send agricultural and fishery experts to help Papua New Guinea, particularly in the area of rice farming as Thai Hom Mali rice has been popular among local consumers.

( Nopparat Chaichalearmmongkol Nopparat Chaichalearmmongkol)

nbsp

nbsp

nbsp

Article source: http://www.thethailandlinks.com/2013/03/26/thailand-papua-new-guinea-to-upgrade-diplomatic-relations/