Yingluck to discuss trade and tourism with British premier

[buksida]

Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is meeting her British counterpart David Cameron today in London for a trade-focused discussion on business opportunities between the two countries.

Yingluck, who is on a three-day official visit to the United Kingdom that ends later today, said that she would meet the British premier to discuss increased mutual cooperation in tourism, trade and investment, and to upgrade strategic partnership relations.

Thai News Agency quoted Yingluck as saying she wants more ways to conduct and facilitate trade and investment, as she sees more growth in the future.

She will use the opportunity to explain Thailand’s water management plan resulting from last year's devastating floods to build confidence among British businesspeople.

Yingluck said that during the talks, she will ask the United Kingdom to reduce the red tape for visa applications for Thai citizens wanting to travel for business and study. She said Thailand has already eased the process for visa applications and the issuing of business licences to help British businesses to invest in Thailand.

The two premiers were scheduled to announce a joint statement of intent establishing a 'Strategic Dialogue' as a mechanism for high-level bilateral discussions to follow up and set directions for mutual cooperation in the future.

On Tuesday, Yingluck was granted an audience by HM Queen Elizabeth II and extended her wishes on behalf of the Thai government and Thai people for the 60th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s accession to the throne, her diamond jubilee.

Yingluck later gave a keynote address under the topic "Thailand: Unparalleled Opportunities" during a luncheon meeting with executives from leading British companies.

The luncheon was meant to inform Britain's business community of investment opportunities in Asean, and to strengthen mutual relations and networks between the private sectors of the two countries.

The Thai premier also visited St. Pancras railway station to observe London's high speed rail system.

Source: The Nation

[STEVE G]

The Thai premier also visited St. Pancras railway station to observe London's high speed rail system.

I'm not sure that I would describe 60 odd miles of track from London to the Channel tunnel as a system!

[margaretcarnes]

Yingluck has got a damn cheek asking Cam to look at easing UK visa restrictions for Thais!
That said he will probably just say OK fine by me go away and let me get on with dealing with our triple dip recession. Because he probably doesn't give two hoots about the Thai visa restrictions placed on his own electorate. Just as he doesn't give two hoots about the restrictions on pensions imposed on UK nationals in Thailand.

[Pleng]

The Thai premier also visited St. Pancras railway station to observe London's high speed rail system.

I'm not sure that I would describe 60 odd miles of track from London to the Channel tunnel as a system!

St Pancras is also the terminal for all the UKs internal high-speed rail network lines.

[bigideas]

I can't imagine how that conversation was conducted, judging by her very poor English skills.... Probably in sign language and using pictures! Even Abhisit didn't have the nuts to have a chat with his old school bully (Bullingdon's were just bullies)!! Hope he mentioned something about the different land ownership policies between the two kingdoms.

[Pedro C]

Easy now, don't get excited. Nothing ever comes out of such meetings and nothing ever will. They were just rubbing shoulders. But of course we will see comments to the press such as "We had a very constuctive dialog" and "The meeting took place in an atmosphere of friendship and openness".