Thai PM to attend Singapore's 50th Anniversary

BANGKOK, August 8 (TNA) - Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha will fly to Singapore tomorrow to attend Singapore’s National Day celebrations on 9 August, this year marking 50 years of Singaporean independence, said a deputy spokesman of Prime Minister’s Office. Deputy Spokesman Maj Gen Veerachon Sukhontapatipak said Gen Prayut will join with government leaders of several countries in the 50th anniversary of independence which falls on Sunday. Gen Prayut will join the celebrations at the invitation of his Singaporean counterpart Lee Hsien Loong and he will represent His Majesty the King and the Thai government at the celebrations which would reflect positive friendship between the two countries which has been cherished a long time, said Maj Gen Veerachon. Thailand was one of first group of countries which has established diplomatic relations with Singapore in September 1965, one month after it has declared an independent country, he said. The two countries are members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Singapore was a British colony until 1963, when it joined with the Federation of Malaya, Sarawak and Sabah to form Malaysia. On August 9, 1965, Singapore left Malaysia and became fully independent. (TNA)