PM to visit Qatar, Chiang Mai next week

BANGKOK, 22 November 2009 (NNT) – The Prime Minister will visit the State of Qatar for the first time next week to maintain the current diplomatic relations and boost trade and investment.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva stated that he will pay an official visit to Qatar from 24-26 November to inaugurate bilateral ties between the two nations after the two countries established their diplomatic relations in 1979. The visit is aimed at strengthening the current diplomatic relations and reinvigorating Thailand’s roles in the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC). The Prime Minister will hold a meeting with high profile executives of Qatar, while seeking trade and investment expansion. He anticipated that the visit could enhance trade and investment with Qatar as well as the ASEAN community and all countries in the region.

The Prime Minister is scheduled to meet the Prime Minister of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassem Bin Jabor Al-Thani and the Foreign Minister of Qatar at Al Wajbah to discuss and sign the Memorandum of Understanding on the Establishment of the High Joint Commission between Thailand and Qatar as well as the Memorandum of Understanding between the Board of Trade of Thailand and Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

In addition, the Prime Minister will attend the Chamber of Commerce meeting in Chiang Mai on 29 November to restore confidence in the private sector. He believed that Chiang Mai residents wanted to create peace and reconciliation in the time of ongoing political impasse.

Despite a recent death threat made by a program producer at a community radio station in the province, stating that the Prime Minister would be assassinated during his visit next week, the Prime Minister reconfirmed his plan to visit the northern province. Mr. Abhisit will travel to the province to restore confidence in the private sector.

The northern province of Chiang Mai is the home town of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, where there is strong support for the opposition Party.