Myanmar president starts three-day official visit to Thailand

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BANGKOK, July 22 — Myanmar President Thein Sein started his official visit to Thailand as a guest of the Thai government during July 22-24.

President Thein Sein arrived at Bangkok’s Don Mueang Airport at 11.15am Sunday and was welcomed by Privy CouncillorThepkamol Devakula and Deputy Prime Minister Yuthasak Sasiprapa.

The Myanmar President, accompanied by Industry Minister Pongsvas Svasti later travelled to Laem Chabang Port in the eastern seaboard province of Chon Buri to be briefed on its operation.

On Monday, he will have a bilateral meeting with Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to exchange views on ways to enhance relations between Thailand and Myanmar, including cooperation in development of a major deep sea port and industrial estates in Dawei.

They will witness the signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on development projects in Myanmar, covering the Dawei Special Economic Zone and related projects before giving a joint press conference.

President Thein will visit the Grand Palace and the Emerald Buddha temple on Tuesday before returning home.

The three-day visit to Thailand by the Myanmar President is his first since taking office in March last year. Two earlier planned trips to Thailand were postponed.

He had planned to attend the World Economic Forum in Bangkok in late May but the plan was cancelled, as opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi attended the forum, her visit marking the first trip abroad in more than two decades.

His trip to Thailand, set for later in June, was also postponed because of sectarian violence in western Myanmar.