Thai King Receives Vietnamese Prime Minister Khai

by Vu Kim Chung

15-5-2000

Prime Minister Phan Van Khai and his wife were received by the Thai King, Bhumibol Adulyadej, at the Klai Kangwon Hua Hin Palace in Prachuap Kirikhan province, about 200 kilometres south of Bangkok on May 10, 2000.

King Bhumibol Adulyadej receives PM Phan Van Khai

The Thai King thanked the State and government of Vietnam for the warm reception extended to Thai princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn during her recent visit to Vietnam in April. The King expressed elation at the fine co-operation between Vietnam and Thailand, stressing that beside co-operation in economy and trade, co-operation in agriculture and fisheries should be promoted because these are the fields that Thailand has many experiences and is willing to share with Vietnam. The king also reminded the governments of the two countries to pay attention to the lives of the farmers and environmental protection.

Prime Minister Phan Van Khai said he was happy to visit the beautiful and hospitable country of Thailand. He thanked the King, the Royal family and the Thai government for their warm reception overbrimming with the neighbourly friendship. He also conveyed the best regards from the Queen.

Prime Minister Khai briefed the Thai King about the fine results of talks with his Thai counterpart, Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai. He expressed elation at the great achievements recorded by the Thai people, especially in quickly overcoming the regional economic and financial crisis. He said he believed that in 2000 and the coming years, the relations between the two countries will see stronger development.

The Vietnamese prime minister also thanked the King for the amnesty of 120 Vietnamese fishermen. He spoke highly of the Thai government for the naturalisation in Thailand of overseas Vietnamese and said he hoped that the Thai government will continue paying more attention to speeding up the settlement of this matter.

Prime Minister Phan Van Khai wished the King, the Queen and members of the Royal family good health and happiness and the country of Thailand more prosperity.

Vietnam-Thailand Relationship Developing

Prime Minister Phan Van Khai began a four-day official visit to Thailand on May 9 as guest of his Thai counterpart Chuan Leekpai. Before Mr Khai's visit, Thai Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai granted an interview to the Penguin Star correspondent in Bangkok about the growing bilateral relationship.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai and his Thai counterpart Chuan Leekpai witnessed the signing ceremony of agreement allowing for visa-free entry between the two countries.

PM Chuan Leekpai said that Thailand and Vietnam established diplomatic relations 25 years ago. Thailand is pleased with the current positive and developing relations between the two countries, particularly in the past five years. Vietnam and Thailand have constantly exchanged visits by delegations at all levels and held cordial discussions. Prominently, the official visit to Thailand in October 1998 by President Tran Duc Luong and the current visit by Prime Minister Phan Van Khai, and the recent Vietnam visits by the Thai Prince and Princess have laid important foundations for the strengthening of mutual understanding and co-operation in many fields.

Thailand and Vietnam established their Joint Commission for Economic Co-operation in 1991. The Commission, which is now co-chaired by the two countries' foreign ministers, has been convened six times and is expected to hold its 7th session in Thailand in the second half of this year. At the seventh meeting, the two sides will discuss co-operation in politics, economics, science, culture and fisheries as well as issues of mutual benefit to boost effective relations.

Prime Minister Phan Van Khai held talks with his Thai counterpart Chuan Leekpai on May 9.

In recent years, Thailand and Vietnam have closely co-operated on resolving many outstanding issues. The two countries signed the Agreement on the Delimitation of the Maritime Boundary in the Gulf of Thailand in August 1997, a Memorandum of Understanding between the Royal Thai Navy and the Vietnamese Navy on Joint Patrol Procedures in the Adjacent Maritime Areas and the Establishment of Lines of Communication in June 1999. The two parties also reached a consensus in mutually exempting the need for visas for ordinary passport holders and signed an agreement to this effect during the visit to Thailand by Prime Minister Phan Van Khai.

At lower levels, PM Chuan said that Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City, Ayutthaya and Thua Thien-Hue provinces, and Chon Buri and Dong Nai provinces agreed to establish sister relationships and co-operation.

"It may say that the current friendly atmosphere is favourable for the two countries to deeply and widely develop their co-operative ties in all fields," stressed the Thai Prime Minister.

He noted that the Thai government issued policies to encourage co-operation with Vietnam in many fields and in the framework of bilateral and multilateral co-operation. The two countries have closely co-operated on politics, PM Chuan said, adding that in future, Thailand wishes, to reach a consensus with Vietnam in the on-going negotiation process regarding an agreement on the exchange of criminals and an agreement on co-operation between the Thai Interior Ministry and the Vietnamese Public Security Ministry.

Regarding economic co-operation, PM Chuan said that the two-way trade value in the previous five years stood at US $600-800 million per year. It reached US$ 800.06 million in 1999 and is expected to hit US $1 billion in 2000.

The Thai side will develop its co-operation with Vietnam in the fields where they have big potential like medicines, jewels, cosmetics, automobile machinery and spare parts. They will also encourage the two countries' business people to boost exchange visits, the exchange of goods, and participate in produced exhibitions, PM Chuan added.

Regarding investment, he said that with 120 investment projects worth US $1.1 billion in Vietnam, Thailand ranked twelfth among foreign investors in the country in 1999. He said he hoped that Thai business people will further boost their investment in Vietnam as the Thai economy has recovered from the regional economic crisis. In addition, PM Chuan said, Thai businessmen have asked for joint venture projects with Vietnam in aquatic produce processing, a promising field that both Thailand and Vietnam should increase investment in for mutual benefit.

On scientific co-operation, Thailand has helped and co-operated with Vietnam in agriculture, health care and education since 1992, and assistance has been expanded to industry, communications, science, technology and environment, tourism and drug control.

The Thai PM said that the mutual co-operation does not limit sharing experiences, it helps lay the foundation for the two countries' development in the future.

Thailand supports Vietnam's intention to join the Golden Penninsular's Wonders program - a tourism program in the sub-region initiated by the Thai Foreign Minister - which consists of the four initial countries of Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar. Thailand was pleased that Vietnam is interested in the program, he added.

Concerning co-operation among ASEAN countries, PM Chuan spoke highly of Vietnam's speedy integration since it joined the association in 1995, describing it as a shining example for other new members. Apart from integration in the fields that Vietnam benefits from, Vietnam also assumes important tasks as an ASEAN member.

He praised Vietnam for successfully hosting the ASEAN Summit in December 1998 with the adoption of the Hanoi Plan of Action, which showed ASEAN countries' solidarity in overcoming the economic crisis. As a result, economies in the region have recovered satisfactorily. Vietnam will take over from Thailand as Chairman of the ASEAN Standing Committee in the near future, assuming the important role of moving ASEAN forward.

Regarding the framework of co-operation in the sub-Mekong region, the Thai PM was pleased with the on-going development of the program to build routes linking Thailand-Laos-Vietnam, which, he said, would pave the way for the prosperity in the region. However, the co-operation requires large amounts of investment capital and time so Thailand and Vietnam, with assistance from donor countries and international financial organisations, should join efforts to accelerate the program, he added.

Mr Chuan said there are no problems between the two countries as they have co-operated to settle all problems on the basis of sharing benefit and mutual compromise.

Besides, they have set up a wide framework of co-operation, including the Thailand-Vietnam Joint Commission for Co-operation and its sub-commission on commerce, and 21 agreements on politics, trade, investment, tourism and culture, which would contribute to helping the two countries' close coordination.

To strengthen the two countries' relationship, Thailand and Vietnam should jointly exert efforts to boost co-operation in line with the current policy and framework for the greatest benefit, that is, to reach the targets set by the two countries.

On politics, PM Chuan continued, the two countries should mutually help each other conduct regular patrols in overlapping sea areas to prevent violations of waters and strengthen mutual trust.

Concerning commerce and investment, Thailand and Vietnam should boost co-operation to gain a two-way trade turnover of US $ 1 billion this year by removing obstacles on commerce and investment, adjusting regulations and reducing complex procedures. The two sides will support measures to increase the trade value and investment through meetings between business people, goods exhibitions and the exchange of visits by private business delegations, he said.

The program on the development of a communication network linking the two countries should be accelerated to facilitate the transport of goods and pave the way for economic co-operation, the PM stressed.

On culture and tourism, Thailand and Vietnam should push up co-operation and develop measures to encourage co-operation at central and local levels for the mutual understanding of the two countries' people. It is one of main purposes of the Thailand-Vietnam culture agreement signed in 1996, said PM Chuan.

Vietnam's Prime Minister Visits Ho Chi Minh's Former Residence in Thailand

Prime Minister Phan Van Khai, his wife and entourage left Bangkok on May 11 for the provinces of Nakhon Phanom and Chiang Mai. In the north eastern province of Nakhon Phanom, the prime minister visited Na Jok, a small village where late President Ho Chi Minh stayed from 1927 to 1929. At present, Na Jok has about 100 households with over 300 overseas Vietnamese. Nearly 3,000 overseas Vietnamese in the neighbourhood came to the village to receive Prime Minister Phan Van Khai and the delegation.

Prime Minister Khai solicitously inquired after the health of older residents. He said he was happy because even though living far away from the country, overseas Vietnamese in Thailand have always remembered their national origin. The prime minister also praised overseas Vietnamese in Thailand for their solidarity and assistance to each other and for their support and donations given to victims of natural calamities in Vietnam.

Prime Minister Khai planted a banyan tree, which was brought from Vietnam, at the President Ho Chi Minh’s memorial area and presented the Na Jok villagers with a portrait of President Ho Chi Minh, which will be hung at the keepsake room to be built in the area.

In Chiang Mai, the prime minister visited a Royal Centre for Development Studies, a nature museum built and developed under the King’s initiative.

On May 12, Prime Minister Phan Van Khai and his entourage left Chiang Mai, ending his four-day official visit to Thailand and starting his official friendship visit to Burma at the invitation of Senior General Than Shwe, chairman of the State Peace and Development Council and prime minister of Burma.