MALAYSIA : Thailand and Malaysia have signed four deals to bolster economic and youth development cooperation.
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra shakeshandswithher Malaysiancounterpart Najib Razak outside MrRazak’s office in Putrajaya City outside Kuala Lumpur yesterday. The two leaders agreed on bilateral cooperation in several areas. CHANATKATANYU
The memoranda of understanding (MoU) were signed when Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra met her Malaysian counterpart Najib Razak in Kuala Lumpur yesterday.
It was the fifth annual meeting between the leaders of the two countries.
The four deals cover private sector investment in border areas, ease of travel through border checkpoints, the creation of a Thai-Malay Business Council Secretariat, and youth sport cooperation.
The meeting also touched on the development of a special economic zone attached to the border checkpoints linking Sadao and Bukit Kayu Hitam, Ms Yingluck said.
Two bridges _ between Tak Bai district in Narathiwat and Pengkalan Kubor, and from Sungai Kolok district in Narathiwat to Rantau Panjang _ must also be built to boost trade, she added.
Ms Yingluck said the two countries agreed to support private sector trade and investment in border areas, adding that Thai staff working for restaurants in Malaysia must obtain proper work permits.
Economic cooperation was also discussed in the fields of oil and natural gas, halal food, and radio frequencies in border areas.
The two leaders also agreed to look into the issues of dual nationality, international criminals, the prisoner transfer programme, the current extradition agreement, human-trafficking prevention and cross-border goods transport.