Thai PM visits India

BANGKOK, January 24 (TNA) - Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra left for India Tuesday morning for a three-day visit to the South Asian nation, as the guest of the Indian government, to attend India’s Republic Day on January 26. Before flying from Bangkok, Yingluck chaired a Cabinet weekly meeting at which 16 newly-appointed ministers, who were sworn in before His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej on Monday, were all present and a new batch of government personnel was endorsed, including Thitima Chaisaeng, who was appointed a new deputy secretary general to Premier Yingluck. Thitima will be acting government spokeswoman until a new government spokesperson is appointed. Thitima told reporters that the Thai premier will take the good opportunity of her three-day trip to New Delhi to strengthen the two nations’ strategic partnership by building confidence in the post-flood Thai economy among Indian investors, including explaining her government's post-flood rehabilitation measures and trade and investment opportunities for Indian and other foreign business operators. According to the acting government spokesperson, the Thai prime minister will also propose that Thailand be a business gateway to the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the East Asia bloc and will discuss with Indian authorities a plan on expediting the completion of further negotiations under the Thai-Indian Free Trade Agreement (FTA) by this year. Thailand plans to double two-way trade with India by 2014, from some 7.4 billion US dollars annually now. (TNA)