BANGKOK, 24 February 2012 – Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul has met with his Indian counterpart to discuss the Thailand-India and ASEAN-India relations, to strengthen ties with the world’s largest democratic country.
Mr Surapong had bilateral talks with India’s Minister for External Affairs SM Krishna on the sidelines of the 4th Delhi Dialogue in India. He congratulated India for its long-standing relationship with ASEAN, which has entered the 20th anniversary in 2012. To mark the occasion, an ASEAN-India summit will be held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in November and in New Delhi in December.
The Thai Foreign Minister also talked about the progress of the Thailand-Myanmar-India highway construction as part of the East-West Economic Corridor, saying Thailand has assisted Myanmar in building roads connecting Myawaddy and Kawkareik, using a budget of 1.14 billion baht.
Meanwhile, Mr SM Krishna said that his country has completed the road section connecting India and Myanmar. More roads are being built between major cities in Myanmar such as Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw and are hopefully completed in the near future so that the East-West Economic Corridor will be thoroughly connected.
