Thai PM to look at opportunities at Colombo Port City

(MENAFN- Colombo Gazette) Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of the Kingdom Thailand, General Prayut Chan-o-cha is to look at the opportunities available at the Colombo port City.

The Thai Prime Minister has directed the Board of investment of Thailand to conduct a virtual meeting with the Colombo Port Commission and Sri Lanka Board of Investment, the Embassy and the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka said.

The Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) C.A. Chaminda I. Colonne paid her very first courtesy call on the Prime Minister and Minister of Defense of the Kingdom Thailand General Prayut Chan-o-cha at the Government House in Bangkok.

Ambassador Colonne extended warm greetings to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha from President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Both recalled longstanding excellent bonds of friendship and cooperation between two countries for many centuries and deeply rooted in the Theravada Buddhist traditions. Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha conveyed great affection towards the Government and People of Sri Lanka.

Emphasizing on enhanced cooperation between Sri Lanka and Thailand in the fields of export, investment, especially in the context of new normal, Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha emphasized the need for accelerating negotiations on bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA). Both assured to strengthen bilateral economic and trade ties leading to increase trade volume and to enhance investment with a win-win approach. Ambassador Colonne invited Thai investors to invest at the Colombo Port City and on her request Prime Minister General Prayut directed the Board of Investment of Thailand to conduct virtual meeting with the Colombo Port Commission and Sri Lanka Board of Investment.

Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha also assured to continue in assisting Sri Lanka's COVID-19 pandemic recovery and to provide technical cooperation in the fields of Agriculture, Fisheries and artificial rainmaking.

While highlighting her intention of promoting economic diplomacy with the Government of Thailand, especially in the ten areas identified under the Strategic Economic Partnership (SEP) and 'One Village one Product'(OVOP) concept in Sri Lanka, Ambassador Colonne assured strong commitment during her tenure of office for consolidating Sri Lanka-Thai bilateral relations for mutual benefit.

Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha welcomed the proposal made by Ambassador Colonne to opening of a Thai language teaching center in Sri Lanka and Sinhala language teaching center in Thailand with a view to eliminate the language barrier between the two nations and to enhance people to people contacts.

Commending on excellent leadership of Sri Lanka as the Chair of Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha stated that Thailand looks forward to takeover Chairmanship at the fourth-coming 5th BIMSTEC Summit and Ambassador Chaminda Colonne, assured Sri Lanka's fullest support for Thailand's future endavoures in BIMSTEC.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha also conveyed his warm best wishes to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and Foreign Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris of Sri Lanka. Ambassador Chaminda Colonne extended an invitation to Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha to visit Sri Lanka at a mutually convenient time with the recovery from COVID-19 pandemic.

Advisor to the Prime Minister Bansarn Bunnag, Deputy Secretary-General to the Prime Minister Anucha Burapachaisri, Government Spokesperson Dr. Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, Director-General, Department of South Asian, Middle East and African Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Darm Boontham of Thailand and the First Secretary Saritha Ranatunga of the Sri Lanka Embassy joined the discussion. (Colombo Gazette)