Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has told US Vice President Kamala Harris of Thailand’s readiness to promote and enhance “heart-to-heart” cooperation with the United State, based on two centuries of the bilateral relationship.
The Thai prime minister met the US vice president at Government House this late afternoon, after the completion of the APEC Summit.
Government Spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri said that the two sides agreed to increase cooperation on security and transnational crime law enforcement, to cover suppression of cross-border illegal narcotics trafficking and money laundering, as well as increasing the capabilities of the Thai marine police.
On economic issues, he said that both sides agreed that Thailand has been an important and long term production and investment hub for the US’s private sector and bilateral trade continues to grow, despite the impacts of COVID-19.
Nonetheless, Prayut wants to see further economic cooperation between the two countries and increased US investment in targeted industries, such as clean energy, electric cars, intelligent electronics and digital industry.
On climate change and clean energy development, he said that both sides share common interests and agree on sustainable and environmentally friendly growth, in line with Thailand’s BCG concept.
Anucha said that Vice President Harris praised Thailand for joining the US initiative on clean energy and hopes that the US and Thailand will play a collaborative role on environment issues while, according to the Thai spokesman, promising to continue Thailand’s BCG economy concept at the next APEC Summit, to be hosted by the United States next year.
