PM Yingluck, in New Delhi, aims to expand Thai-Indian trade, investment

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NEW DELHI, Jan 25 – Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has met with Thai businesspeople in the Indian capital and is due to hold talks with India’s Prime Minister to expand cooperation in trade and investment between the two countries.

The Thai prime minister and her delegation met the Thai business community in India at the Taj Palace Hotel on Wednesday morning.

Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) chairman and the Thai Chamber of Commerce South Asia committee, consisting of representatives from the Charoen Pokphand Foods and Italian-Thai Development, also attended the meeting.

Ms Yingluck asked them about business opportunities and obstacles they face and a working panel gathered information on that to find solutions later. She then will meet with Indian leaders aiming to double two-way Thai-Indian trade and investment.

The Thai prime minister attended an official welcoming event, being greeted by Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and inspected a guard of honour, and went on to pay respects at the Mahatma Gandhi memorial where she laid a wreath before signing a visiting book.

Ms Yingluck was scheduled to meet External Affairs Minister SM Krishna at the Taj Palace and discuss many issues including reducing visa processes to facilitate tourists and businesspeople as well as setting up a Thai-India foundation to promote cultural exchange between the people of both countries.

At noon, she was to pay a courtesy call on Indian President Pratibha Devisingh Patil to offer congratulations on the Republic Day of India and to thank India for its assistance to Thailand during last year’s flood crisis. Thailand is in the process of rehabilitation and designing an overall water resource management system.

At 6.30pm, she will again meet the Indian prime minister for talks on bilateral cooperation, and strengthening the strategic partnership and economic connectivity.