BANGKOK: Thailand and Cambodia agreed on Friday to triple the value of bilateral trade and develop their partnership for mutual benefit. Agreement was reached at talks between the delegations of Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and visiting Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen at Government House.
Deputy government spokesman Werachon Sukondhapatipak said afterwards that the two sides agreed to triple bilateral trade over five years from about US$5 billion at present. This would be achieved through the development of connecting economic zones in Thailand’s Sa Kaeo province and adjacent Banteay Meanchey province of Cambodia, customs facilitation, and road and railway connections.
The two governments also agreed to encourage businesses to invest in each other’s country, Maj Gen Werachon said.
Prime Minister Prayut proposed they jointly introduce tour packages to promote their tourist destinations. Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam were jointly promoting marine tourist destinations, the deputy government spokesman said.
The two governments agreed to cooperate in solving illegal labour and human trafficking problems by speeding up the registration of Cambodian workers in Thailand so that they would be protected by Thai law. In the area of medicine, the Thai prime minister offered training for Cambodian health personnel and scholarships for Cambodian medical students.
Regarding energy, Thailand asked Cambodia to share its water to ensure power security, while Cambodia expressed gratitude towards Thailand for supplying electricity to parts of Cambodia where there were no local transmission lines. To celebrate the 65th anniversary of Thai-Cambodian diplomatic relations, the two countries will organise a friendly football match and Hun Sen proposed that it be televised live. Gen Prayut appreciated the positive ties and promised to enhance the bilateral partnership for the sake of interdependence and mutual benefit, Maj Gen Werachon said.
