Govt to spend P4.5M for Aquino's 2-day visit to Thailand

The Philippine government will be spending P4.5 million for the President Benigno Aquino's two-day state visit to Thailand, Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr. said on Thursday. The fund will cover the air fare, hotel accommodations, food, transportation, and telecommunications and equipment requirements of Aquino and his 52-man delegation from May 26 to 27. Aquino left the country on Thursday morning and will return to the Philippines on Friday evening. The President was accompanied by Foreign Secretary Albert Del Rosario, Trade and Industry Secretary Gregory Domingo, and Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima. The other officials who are part of the presidential delegation are Philippine Ambassador to Thailand Linglingay Lacanlale, Chief of Protocol and Presidential Assistant for Foreign Affairs Miguel Perez-Rubio, Energy Undersecretary Josefina Patricia Asirit, Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Cristina Ortega and Secretary Ramon Carandang of the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office. Public-private partnership In Thailand, Aquino is expected to make a pitch for investments under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) program and foster cooperation in agriculture and in combating drug-trafficking. He will have a bilateral meeting with Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. “The President’s visit to Thailand seeks to fortify the bilateral relations of our country with Thailand. Our country and Thailand have a dynamic and thriving relationship and we intend to strengthen that relationship with them, as well as with the rest of our neighbors in the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)," Ochoa said in a press statement. Communications Secretary Ricky Carandang told reporters during the President’s departure that the administration is optimistic to get investment and employment opportunities for Filipinos after the meetings. “Diversified yung mga interests nila (Thai business groups). May fuel, may energy, may agriculture, may finance. So titingnan nila kung saan sila magpasok dito sa Pilipinas," he said. Meeting with business leaders The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said President Aquino is expected to present investment possibilities in the Philippines under the PPP program to Abhisit and Thai business groups. Aquino will confer with top Thai business executives from the Charoen Pokphand (CP) Group led by its chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dhanin Chearavanont, president and CEO of CP Foods PLC Adirek Sripratak and senior vice president CP Foods PLC Pinij Kungvankij. He will also meet the Siam Cement Group (SCG) president and CEO Kan Trakulhoon, SCG vice president for finance and investment Chaovalit Ekabut, vice president for corporate administration Aree Chavalitcheewingul, SCG Paper president Roongrote Rangsiyopash, SCG Building Materials president Pichit Maipoom and corporate planning director Bunn Ksemsup. Aquino will also have talks with PTT Public Company Limited president Prasert Bunsumpun, executive vice president Chavalit Punthong and senior vice president Sarun Rungkasiri. Border issue Aquino and Abhisit will most likely not discuss the border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia which resulted to the death of at least 15 people. “We have an agreement with Prime Minister Abhisit’s government, that we will not discuss domestic issues," Carandang said. - VVP, GMA News