BANGKOK, 21 September 2012 – Thailand and Germany signed an MOU on Thursday agreeing to become strategic partners in disaster management; the two sides also agreed to cooperate on energy and food security.
Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Kittiratt Na-Ranong has signed the MOU on disaster management with German Economy Minister Philipp Roesler. Both ministers also presided over the opening ceremony of the Joint Economic Committee between Thailand and Germany.
The meeting’s main topics were on energy and food security, the follow-ups on Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s visit to Germany in July. Other topics included education cooperation, especially on the development of Thai vocational study, given Germany has a very successful system.
The meeting, according to the Finance Minister, is held on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the Thai-German diplomatic relations. As a result of the MOU, Thailand will get to learn about technology and sustainable economic development from Germany, adding that the Southeast Asian nation can adopt the German system to uplift the standard of Thai food security.
Meanwhile, Mr Roesler said he hoped to see the success of the Thai-EU Free Trade Agreement, which would make Thailand a link between Europe and ASEAN.
Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul and Mr Roesler also presided over the Technology Dialogue “Solution on Sustainable Water Management and Flood Prevention” Seminar at the Foreign Affairs Ministry, which was attended by a number of representatives from both the public and the private sectors.
