Thai Foreign Minister Visits Burma

By THE IRRAWADDY
Thai Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama made a one-day visit to Burma on Tuesday, during which he reportedly discussed the project to build a deep sea port at Dawei on the Andaman coast.

The Thai website INN News said Noppadon went ahead with the visit after recovering from a bout of influenza which had forced him to cancel a trip to Egypt last week.

Noppadon’s brief visit to Burma followed Thai government statements confirming a policy of continuing economic cooperation with Burma and opposition to sanctions.

Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej paid an official visit to Naypyidaw on March 14 and declared his government’s support for democratization and national reconciliation in Burma. Thailand would pursue a policy of “neighbourly engagement,” and seek more interaction and dialogue with Burma, while abiding by Asean’s principle of non-interference, according to a Foreign Ministry statement.

Samak said that during his visit he had discussed the Dawei project with the Burmese government and its link with Laem Chabang port in Thailand, a development that would facilitate Thailand-Burma trade. He said the Burmese government wanted Thai support for the project.