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On April 26, 2024, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin and the Finance Minister of Thailand, along with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh, observed the signing of five important agreements at the Inner Santi Maitri Building, Government House, Wego reports.
Among these documents was the Agreement on Mutual Visa Exemption, aimed at enhancing relations across multiple sectors between the two nations.
Thai PM holds bilateral talks with Bangladeshi PM during her trip to Thailand to promote trade/investment by starting FTA talks by 2024 and medical tourism. They discussed regional/international issues and witnessed signing of key documents. https://t.co/7vpq5E9laQ pic.twitter.com/Ya7J7NxkdS
— PR Thai Government (@prdthailand) April 26, 2024
The five documents are as follows:
- Agreement on Visa Exemption for Official Passport Holders of the Kingdom of Thailand and People’s Republic of Bangladesh;
- Letter of Intent on Commencement of Thailand – Bangladesh FTA Negotiation between Ministries of Commerce of Thailand and People’s Republic of Bangladesh;
- Memorandum of Understanding on Energy Cooperation between the Ministry of Energy of the Kingdom of Thailand and the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh;
- Memorandum of Understanding on Tourism Cooperation between the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of the Kingdom of Thailand and the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh;
- Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation and Mutual Assistance in Customs Matters between Customs Departments of the Kingdom of Thailand and the People’s Republic of Bangladesh.
The two Prime Ministers attended a joint press conference on the same day and discussed reinforcing the bilateral relations through trade, development cooperation and tourism. Both countries prioritize the enhancement of infrastructure and connectivity. The initiation of direct shipping between Ranong Port in Thailand and Chittagong Port in Bangladesh will strengthen maritime connectivity and boost economic activities.
In the field of medical tourism, Thailand will continue to offer high-quality medical services at competitive prices for Bangladeshi patients seeking treatment in Thailand. The two prime ministers also discussed potential cooperation in training and capacity building for medical personnel from Bangladesh.
Prime Minister Srettha announced that Thailand will host the BIMSTEC Summit later this year, with Bangladesh assuming the next BIMSTEC chairmanship. BIMSTEC serves as a crucial driver of regional economic growth and fosters closer ties between the two regions. With a combined population of 1.8 billion people, there is immense potential for BIMSTEC to achieve even greater success.
Source: blog.wego.com