March 8, 2013, at 1400hrs, at the Ivory Room, Thai Khu Fah Building, Government House, Dr. Thongbanh Seng-Aphone, Minister of Public Security, Lao People's Democratic Republic and a group of Lao PDR’s provincial governors paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. Gist as follows:
PM Yingluck welcomed the delegation for their visit to Thailand to attend the 9th Thailand-Laos Border Governors Conference (TLGC), and reaffirmed close ties between the two neighboring countries in all dimensions. PM Yingluck expressed her confidence that the Conference will be a significant mechanism to strengthen mutual relations and collaborations along the border areas.
PM Yingluck also emphasized the importance of Thai-Lao border cooperation particularly on the peace and security keeping along the border areas which would enhance economic and cultural development as well as people-to-people relations; expansion of trade, investment, and tourism; and cultural exchanges. As close neighboring countries and the members of ASEAN, Thailand and Lao PDR can join hands in preparing themselves for the upcoming ASEAN Community.
Furthermore, PM Yingluck expressed her pleasure to be able to attend the 5th Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) meeting which would be held in Vientiane during March 12-13, 2013, and would have a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of Lao PDR. She hoped that the meeting would be a pushover of further cooperation in various areas between the two countries.