(15/11/2012)
 As
Thailand and the United Kingdom celebrate 400 years of relations and
contact in 2012, they also are moving closer together to strengthen
their economic partnership.Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra paid an official visit to London on 13-14 November 2012 at the invitation of the Rt. Hon. David Cameron, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Both leaders have agreed to the establishment of a “Strategic Dialogue” as a high-level, consultative forum to set and monitor the future direction for their bilateral cooperation in all areas. According to the Joint Press Statement on the official visit, this new mechanism will also serve as a concrete platform for both sides to exchange views on regional and multilateral issues and will be convened on a regular basis between high- ranking officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the United Kingdom, at a venue to be alternated between Thailand and the United Kingdom. To give a further boost to this new mechanism, Prime Minister Yingluck expressed her kind offer for Thailand to play host to the first Dialogue at the time to be mutually agreed upon by both sides. She stated that the strategic dialogue would not only expand Thai-UK cooperation on critical global issues but would also strengthen their economic partnership by promoting mutual growth and employment. The dialogue will cover all aspects from economic to education, tourism, social, and cultural relations. At present, Thailand and the United Kingdom enjoy healthy economic links. The value of their bilateral trade was 3.6 billion pounds sterling in 2011. Many UK companies have invested in Thailand, and a growing number of Thai companies have been investing in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister said that the realization of a Thai-EU Free Trade Agreement would help enhance trade. So Thailand and the European Union hope to be able to begin negotiations on an FTA in early 2013. Under the strategic dialogue framework, she said, Thailand and the European Union are not competitors but partners in growth and prosperity. Regarding Thai-UK relations, Prime Minister Yingluck stated that the relationship is special, as the Royal Families of the two Kingdoms have been very close throughout the ups and downs of history. During her visit to London, she was granted an audience with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. The Prime Minister also conveyed the best wishes of the Thai people on the occasion of Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee. She cited the audience as one of the proudest moments in her life. The Ministry of Commerce organized a Thai Rice Week in London to promote Thai rice, coinciding with the visit of Prime Minister Yingluck to the United Kingdom. Touching on Thailand’s plans to enhance its food production and distribution capabilities for rice and other products, the Prime Minister said that, as a major food exporter, Thailand recognizes its role and responsibility to help promote global food security, in particular at a time of increasing world population. Regarding rice, she said, Thailand hopes to develop better silos to improve storage capacities, as well as to reduce food waste by developing greater post-harvest capabilities and applying better technology. This will allow the country to manage the release of rice supplies more effectively in response to price fluctuations and global demand. In this connection, the Prime Minister said that Thailand is working with countries in Southeast Asia to develop a framework for cooperation on rice exports and price stability. More importantly, Thailand’s plans to enhance rice storage and management will also contribute to promoting global food security and help support disaster relief efforts. |
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