Thai PM meets Dutch and Chinese top envoys, water experts

BANGKOK, November 15 (TNA) - Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra met Dutch and Chinese Ambassadors to Thailand, Johannes Andries Boer and Guan Mu, on Monday, during which the water situation in Thailand was part of the separate talks. The Dutch top envoy led his country's water experts for the discussion with the Thai premier on water management, which was also attended by Thai water experts Dr. Anond Snidvongs Na Ayutthaya and Veera Wongsaengnak. Dr. Anond told reporters after the meeting that the Dutch experts analyzed strength and weakness of Thailand's water situation in all aspects and he, himself, will join field trips with the Dutch experts over the next few days, as assigned by Premier Yingluck, to study the country's practical models on water management based on first-hand socio-ecological data. Dr. Anond said that the Dutch experts also plan to organize a water fair in Thailand in February 2012 to gather relevant information and opinions from academics and people from all sectors of the Thai society to work out a proposed master plan on water solutions for the Thai government within the 2012 fiscal year, which ends on September 30, 2012. Earlier in the day, Yingluck also met the Chinese ambassador to Thailand to discuss planned bilateral talks with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao as part of the 2011 ASEAN Summit in Indonesia on November 18, at which long-term Thai-Sino relations, transnational routes, government-to-government trade, long-term water management and assistance for flood victims in Thailand would also be raised. Meanwhile, Chinese President Hu Jintao has sent his written concerns to His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Premier Yingluck and the Thai people regarding Thailand's ongoing flooding crisis. (TNA)