YANGON (Thomson Financial) - Thailand and neighboring Myanmar have signed an
agreement to boost investment during a one-day official visit to the
military-run country by the kingdom's premier, state media said Saturday.
Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej also met with Myanmar's junta leader
General Than Shwe on Friday in the country's new capital of Naypyidaw, the
official New Light of Myanmar daily said without giving further details.
The paper gave no details of the trade pact. A Thai government spokesman
could not be reached for comment on Saturday.
Thailand is one of Myanmar's biggest investors and trading partners,
spending billions of dollars annually to tap into the country's natural gas and
hydropower resources to power its own growing economy.
The kingdom is at odds with the West over ways to deal with Myanmar's
military regime, which sparked global outrage following its deadly crackdown on
peaceful protests in September 2007.
The United States and the European Union tightened sanctions against
Myanmar's ruling generals after the suppression.
But Thai Foreign Minister Noppadon Pattama said Friday the kingdom opposed
sanctions, arguing that negotiations rather than punishments could lead to
positive developments in the country, which has been run by the military since
1962.
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