Thai PM arrives in Swiss for WEF

BANGKOK, January 28 (TNA) - Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has arrived in Switzerland to attend the 42nd World Economic Forum (WEF), being held in Davos from January 26-29, and to meet world leading business persons. Before attending the WEF, Yingluck was scheduled to meet Britain's His Royal Highness Prince Andrew, Duke of York, on Friday morning local time and she would then join a talking lunch with other national leaders on “Defining the Imperatives for 2012”, focusing on priorities for the sustainable development of the world economy and global challenges over the past year, including uprisings in the Middle East and the ongoing debt crisis of the eurozone. Premier Yingluck were set to have bilateral talks with Hiromasa Yonekura, Chairman of Sumitomo Chemical Co and the Japanese Business Federation, and Pakistan President Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani and would also give an interview with London-based Financial Times and also have bilateral talks with Muhtar A. Kent, chairman and chief executive officer of Coca-Cola Co. In the evening, the Pheu Thai premier was scheduled to deliver her speech at a discussion on “Women as the Way Forward”--in which participants would exchange their views on values and leadership of female leaders, the reduction of inequality and opportunities related to genders. The Thai prime minister would later preside over the Thailand Night event, organised at the Central Sport hotel to present Thailand's economic potential, new water management and reform plans to senior executives of international firms being interested in trade and investment with Thailand. Premier Yingluck on Thursday wrapped up her two-day official visit to India, during which six bilateral agreements were signed, including those on transfer of prisoners and defence cooperation, as well as a modified framework of the Thai-Indian Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Bangkok and New Delhi have also agreed on promoting bilateral cooperation in science and technology, cultural exchange and education. (TNA)