Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao will be granted an audience with His Majesty the King next week during his official visit to Thailand, Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul said yesterday.
The Chinese premier is scheduled to make a two-day visit to Thailand next Tuesday and Wednesday at the invitation of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra following his attendance at the East Asia Summit (EAS) in Phnom Penh.
It will be the outgoing Chinese premier's first official visit to the kingdom.
Mr Wen will have an audience with the King at Siriraj Hospital next Wednesday. He will also pay a courtesy call on Privy Council president Gen Prem Tinsulanonda at the council's office at 3pm on the same day.
A military source said Beijing had requested that Mr Wen meet Gen Prem.
The source said Gen Prem had close ties to China, which he had visited in an official capacity in 2000.
The source said he did not know whether the meeting between the Chinese premier and the privy council president would have a political agenda.
Mr Wen is also scheduled to meet Ms Yingluck at Government House next Wednesday to discuss state affairs and exchange views to promote bilateral relations and cooperation between Thailand and China.
Thailand and China had put out a "joint statement between the two countries on establishing a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership" during Ms Yingluck's visit to Beijing in April.
The Chinese and Thai leaders are also scheduled to witness the signing of agreements between the countries on education and prisoners' extradition.
Additionally, they will discuss government-to government rice purchase deals and attend the inauguration ceremony of the Chinese Cultural Centre in Bangkok.
Mr Wen will stay overnight at the Shangri-La Hotel and also meet representatives of Thai people with Chinese ancestry.
Aksornsri Phanishsarn, a China expert from Thammasat University's faculty of economics, said the Chinese premier's visit is mainly symbolic diplomatic protocol, as no tough decisions will be made by Beijing until its new leader is appointed in March next year.