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hailand, Myanmar agree to strengthenooperation

blished: 23/07/2012 at 05:12 PMline news:

yanmar President Thein Sein (L) and Primenister Yingluck Shinawatra (Photo by Apichart

nakul)

Muslim students stage a quiet protest in front of

Government House on July 23, 2012. (Photo byAchara Ashayagachat)

land has pledged to support Myanmar in areas of human resources development, capacity-building for the Asean chairmanship in 2014, and infrastructure developme

ording to the joint press statement issued on Monday by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

two countries also agreed to sort out pending issues to move forward the development of the special economic zone in Dawei, including the deep seaport project by th

an Thai Development (ITD) corporation of Thailand.

nt working group, headed by a cabinet minister fr om each side yet to be named, wil l meet for the first time in August to begin tackling the outstanding differences betw

countries.

morandums of understanding on technical cooperation and on economic development cooperation were signed on Monday morning by the respective foreign ministers MoU on energy was signed by energy ministers.

Myanmar President Thein Sein thanked Thailand for its recognition and support for Myanmar's ongoing political an

economic reforms.

The 67-year-old president lauded the frank and cordial discussions between the two sides and thanked the people

Thailand and the Yingluck government for hosting his visit.

The Myanmar president's entourage included seven ministers from eight ministries -- foreign affairs; agriculture and

irrigation; industry; national planning and economic development; labour; social welfare, relief and resettlement; en

and commerce.

Two deputy ministers, for rail transportation and health, were also part of the 17-member delegation, which included

media representatives.

President Thein Sein also had a business meeting with executives from Charoen Pokphand (CP), Siam Cement Gr

(SCG) and the Petroleum Authority of Thailand (PTT) at the Oriental Hotel.

Somjai Phagaphasvivat, an independent academic on economics and finance, said the Myanmar president's visit w

improve the economic dimensions between the countries.

anmar is an interesting country in the 10-member Asean Economic Community (AEC) that is opening up.

nsumer goods and capital goods will soon be freely transported without tax barriers, and this w ill expand the economic dimensions of T hailand and Myanmar in produc

stment, labour and public utilities," Mr Somjai said.

jamin Zawacki, Amnesty International's Asia researcher, said the issues in Myanmar that have long affected the two countries' relationships pertain to ethnic minorities:

flicts that have produced hundreds of thousands of mostly Karen and Karenni refugees, political and economic instability that has generated millions of ethnic minority

rants, and systemic persecution of the Rohingyas leading to "boat people" in Thai waters.

violation of these people's human rights is a root cause of their displacement, and Ms Yingluck should have raised this in her discussions with President Thein Sein. N

the responsible thing to do as a still-aspiring leader in Asean, but is in Thailand's interests as well, said Mr Zawacki.

ozen Muslim students on Monday morning staged a quiet protest in front of Government House in Bangkok, where

sident Thein Sein inspected a guard of honour together with Prime Minister Yingluck.

ar Sarimachi, a fourth-year political science student of T hammasat University, led the group, who held placards saying

p the massacre of Rohingya".

Ashar said the information released about incidents during the events in Rakhine state last month and had been

ted and was misleading.

e Rohingya were protrayed as instigators of the spate of violence, but they were actually the abused," said Mr Ashar,

rman of the Confederation of Muslim Students in Thailand.

12 student protesters called on the Myanmar government to allow greater humanitarian access to the affected area

for government protection of this minority group.

statement was issued in the name of five student organisations.

ther group holding protest signs about Rohingya-Arakanese incidents also gathered outside the Myanmar Embassy.

nwhile, Foreign Ministry spokesman Thani Thongpakdi said the 92 Thais who were arrested in Kawthaung province

yanmar opposite Ranong province for encroachment on July 4 will appear before a Myanmar court on Friday, July 27.

Thani said the charges against the Thais vary from illegal entry to illegal possession of firearms and drugs.

local Thai-Myanmar border committee had been assigned to provide assistance for the defendants.

spokesman said he was confident the Myanmar judicial system would ensure them justice.

eign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul earlier this month raised the matter in discussions with his Myanmar counterpart at a meeting in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

me Minister Yingluck Shinawatra also raised the issue with visiting Myanmar President Thein Sein, Mr Thani said.

said the Myanmar court was expected to give its verdict the same day. Thailand would not interfere in the Myanmar judicial process.