DFA: Aquino to visit Thailand May 26-27

President Benigno Aquino III will visit Thailand upon the invitation of Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva from May 26 to 27. During the visit, the two leaders will explore ways to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in all aspects, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said. In a news release posted on its website, the DFA said Aquino is expected to present his administration's Public-Private Partnership (PPP) program to Prime Minister Abhisit and Thai business groups. Aquino will also discuss cooperation in new areas including combating drug trafficking and agriculture cooperation, and cooperation in regional and multilateral forums. He will then meet the Filipinos in Thailand to thank them for their hard work. Aquino will likewise thank the government and people of Thailand for giving Filipinos the opportunity to participate in the Kingdom's economic growth and development. "The visit aims to further strengthen the Philippines' deep and strong bilateral relations with Thailand, as well as cooperation within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in order to help build a secure and prosperous ASEAN Community by 2015," the DFA said. Bilateral relations between the Philippines and Thailand, which date back to 1949, are among the most robust and stable in the Asian region, the DFA added. The two countries have regular exchanges of high-level government visits, healthy trade and investment environments that have encouraged major Philippine and Thai companies to invest in both countries, and friendly people-to-people interactions. In turn, these have promoted closer social and cultural understanding between and among their citizens, the DFA said. — LBG, GMA News