Thai PM to Visit Cambodia on September 15

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra will pay an official visit to Cambodia on September 15 to introduce herself after the assumption of her post.

Thai Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul said that he would also accompany the prime minister and seek an opportunity to meet with his counterpart Hor Namhong in order to discuss ways to improve bilateral ties, local media reported.

The foreign minister told the press that he was looking at a possibility for Yingluck to visit neighboring Laos right after her mission in Cambodia.

The PM's visit to Cambodia is part of her overseas tours to ASEAN members. Brunei will be the first country she will visit on September 10 and followed by Indonesia on September 12.

The foreign minister said that originally he and the premier planned to visit the ASEAN countries in alphabet order but schedules of counterparts in those nations did not make this possible.

Surapong stressed that major responsibilities of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at present are to enhance relationship with neighboring nations, take less engagement in politics and bring Thailand back as an ASEAN frontline state.

Bilateral relations between Phnom Penh and Bangkok have been deteriorated since the enlisting of Preah Vihear as a world heritage site by Cambodia in 2008. Relations reached the bottom during the Democrat-led administration when the two countries witnessed fierce border fighting in February and April.