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Vajpayee to address Thai Senate
Bangkok, Oct 09: When Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee stands before the joint session of Thai Parliament today, he will be the first ever foreign leader to have addressed the two houses of the Thai Senate, in a visit that would also see the signing of a landmark free trade agreement.
Bangkok, Oct 09: When Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee stands before the joint session of Thai Parliament today, he will be the first ever foreign leader to have addressed the two houses of the Thai Senate, in a visit that would also see the signing of a landmark free trade agreement.
Vajpayee's is the first official visit in ten years by an Indian Prime Minister to Thailand after the 1993 visit by Narasimha Rao.
The high point of the visit will be the signing of the landmark free trade agreement with Thailand. Other accords to be signed during his three-day visit are an MoU on agricultural cooperation and two other agreements on cooperation in tourism and bio-technology. India and Thailand have tentatively agreed on an 'early harvest' package to slash tariffs to zero on 83 products as part of the bilateral FTA. The list of 83 fruits, vegetables, raw materials and other goods represents about 7.7 per cent of total two-way trade worth one billion us dollars.
Vajpayee arrives here late tonight from the Asean Summit in Bali. He begins his official engagements today by holding talks with Thai leaders including his counterpart Thaksin Shinawatara. Later in the evening, he is scheduled to address the joint session of the Thai Parliament and at night Thaksin will host a banquet in Vajpayee's honour.
Bureau Report
The high point of the visit will be the signing of the landmark free trade agreement with Thailand. Other accords to be signed during his three-day visit are an MoU on agricultural cooperation and two other agreements on cooperation in tourism and bio-technology. India and Thailand have tentatively agreed on an 'early harvest' package to slash tariffs to zero on 83 products as part of the bilateral FTA. The list of 83 fruits, vegetables, raw materials and other goods represents about 7.7 per cent of total two-way trade worth one billion us dollars.
Vajpayee arrives here late tonight from the Asean Summit in Bali. He begins his official engagements today by holding talks with Thai leaders including his counterpart Thaksin Shinawatara. Later in the evening, he is scheduled to address the joint session of the Thai Parliament and at night Thaksin will host a banquet in Vajpayee's honour.
Bureau Report