Minister defends PM's trips

Yingluck keen to boost economic ties: Surapong

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's frequent overseas visits - some 30 trips to 17 countries since assuming the post a little over 14 months ago - have been aimed at boosting confidence in the Thai economy and serve as an indication of the priority she places on foreign policy, her foreign minister says.

The remark by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Surapong Towichukchaikul followed allegations by the Democrat Party that the prime minister's busy schedule is designed to allow her to avoid opposition queries in Parliament.

This month, the prime minister's overseas trips will keep her busy for almost the entire month, leaving only a few days for the censure debate. She is scheduled to visit the United Kingdom from tomorrow through Wednesday and to attend the Asean Summit in Phnom Penh from November 17-20.

Yingluck has appeared to use her overseas trips in attempting to win the international community's acceptance of her as Thailand's first woman prime minister. Her speeches at foreign events often focus on her government's projects relating to women, as well as her gender. Recently, she famously offered to help ease the South China Sea territorial spats with "a woman's touch".

She was No 30 on Forbes magazine's list of 100 influential women around the world, jumping from 59th last year. The PM's speeches are prepared by her secretary-general, Suranand Vejjajiva, with the help of English-language experts from the Foreign Ministry.

According to sources, Yingluck's brother, former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, often has input with the PM's foreign affairs team on issues that he considers interesting. There have been follow-ups on policies from the time Thaksin was in power, including a joint Cabinet meeting with a neighbouring country.

Surapong said the PM has made trips to 17 countries and used these opportunities to strengthen bilateral relations and assure that stability has returned to the Thai political scene.

The foreign minister, standing in for the PM during the weekly TV programme "The Yingluck Government Meets the People", reported his ministry's performance during the past year. He said the Yingluck government has attended to foreign policy, particularly with visits to foreign countries and participation in international conferences and meetings.

He said the premier has built confidence in the international community about the Thai economy and invited businesses to invest here.

She has also clarified the situation in the South to Muslim nations.

Globe-trotting PM

2011

August: Singapore

September: Cambodia and Laos

October: Brunei

November: Indonesia, 19th Asean Summit in Bali, and Vietnam

December: GMS Summit in Myanmar

2012

January: Philippines, India and World Economic Forum in Switzerland

February: Malaysia

March: Japan and South Korea

April: Cambodia (20th Asean Summit), China and Japan (Mekong-Japan Summit)

May: Bahrain, Qatar and Australia

July: Cambodia, Germany and France

September: Russia (APEC) and United States (UN General Assembly)

October: Kuwait (ACD) and Vietnam (joint Cabinet meeting)

November: Laos (Asia-Europe Meeting) and Indonesia (Bali Democracy Forum)

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Article source: http://www.thethailandlinks.com/2012/11/11/minister-defends-pms-trips/