November 6, 2008
Bangkok - Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat will join leaders of Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar for the ACMECS summit on Friday.
PM Somchai previously met Lao premier Bouasone Bouphavanh on October 3 during his official visit to Vientiane.
The two-day summit starts on November 6.
Somchai and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen will meet face to face for a dinner on Thursday evening.
It is expected the Thai-Cambodian disputed border will likely influence the meeting.
Somchai said he might have a chance to see Hun Sen and had an unofficial discussion with him, according to AFP.
“Everything is following the process and going fine, because we have already agreed on how to work together.”
Friday’s meeting is aimed at boosting ties in seven areas: telecommunication links, tourism, trade and investment, agriculture, industry and energy, human resource development and public health development.
The Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) summit first took place in 2003 when 46 common projects and 224 bilateral projects were listed for implementation over the next ten years.
Self-dependence and partnership are emphasized by the ACMECS.
