Laos to be Thai PM’s first overseas visit

As his first overseas visit, the Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva departed for Laos with an aim to strengthen existing ties with one of the kingdom’s key regional allies.

“Thailand and Laos have cooperated to progress several joint projects… This trip will help strengthen our relationship,” Abhisit told reporters.

These joint projects include infrastructure works to build railways and roads across their common border, as well as the building of a sports stadium in Laos.

However, discussion about the ethnic minority Lao Hmong migrants is not on the PM’s agenda as a joint border committee (JBC) is already handling the issue.

“We already have a framework for this issue under the JBC committee and everything has proceeded smoothly,” Abhisit said.

“There is no problem on the Hmong issue as we have a mechanism to return them home smoothly,” he said.

Thailand’s foreign ministry has said it had agreed to repatriate 5,000 members of the Hmong ethnic minority to Laos from Thai refugee camps.