Thailand has signed three agreements with Mongolia aimed at boosting trade and investment between the two countries, while also offering support for Mongolia to join the Cobra Gold military exercises.
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra pays respect to a statue of Genghis Khan as she starts a three-day official visit to Mongolia yesterday. PHOTO COURTESYOF THE GOVERNMENTHOUSE
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra kicked off her three-day official visit to Mongolia yesterday.
She is the first Thai leader to visit the landlocked country that spreads across parts of Central and East Asia.
Ms Yingluck and her Mongolian counterpart Norovyn Altankhuyag signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to set up a dialogue aimed at increasing trade and investment cooperation.
Another MoU involved building cooperation between Mongolia's Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Thailand's Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking.
The agreements aim to increase economic cooperation and ease investment conditions between the countries.
The leaders also signed an agreement to boost cooperation on science and technology including biotechnology, food, pharmaceuticals, electronics and computers.
The leaders held a discussion in full chamber at Mongolia's State Palace in the capital Ulan Bator before signing the MoUs.
Mr Altankhuyag said Ms Yingluck's visit will help to foster closer ties.
Prime Minister's Office secretary-general, Suranand Vejjajiva, said Thailand supported Mongolia's willingness to fully participate in the Cobra Gold multinational military exercise in Thailand, pending the support of other participants.
Mongolia takes part in Cobra Gold as an observer.
Mr Suranand said the government is also ready to sign the Agreement for the Promotion and Protection of Investment with Mongolia. The deal would double trade between the two nations within the next three years, he said. Two-way trade last year with Mongolia was worth US$13.69 million (400 million baht).