Prayut to discuss closer ties during 2-day trip to Bahrain

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha left Don Muang air force base with his entourage yesterday for a two-day official visit to Bahrain to boost cooperation between the two countries.

He was accompanied by Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai, Commerce Minister Apiradi Tantraporn, Agriculture and Cooperatives Minister Gen Chatchai Sarikulya, Public Health Minister Piyasakol Sakolsatayadorn, and Gen Wilas Aroonsri, secretary-general to the prime minister.

It is Gen Prayut’s first official visit to the Middle East and is considered a good opportunity to celebrate the four decades of diplomatic relations, a milestone reached this year.

The visit is aimed at boosting collaboration in key areas such as politics, economics, public health and social cooperation, as well as exchanging opinions concerning a range of regional issues.

Gen Prayut will have an audience with Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa today, according to media reports.

He will also meet Bahrain’s Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa to discuss a range of issues.

The two prime ministers will witness the signing of three key documents.

The first is a memorandum of understanding on cooperation between the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives and Bahrain’s Ministry of Municipalities Affairs and Agriculture.

The second is a protocol amending the convention between Thailand and Bahrain for the avoidance of double taxation and to curb income tax evasion.

And finally, there is an MOU on cooperation between Prince of Songkla University and the University of Bahrain.

The prime minister is scheduled to arrive back in Thailand about 8am on Wednesday.