Thai Consul views on Bilateral Joint Commission meeting 08/05/2009

13th May 2009

Mr P R Smith
Auswathai


Dear Sir

Thank you for your e-mail of the 9th May 2009.
I commend you for your endeavours in promoting the business and community relationships between the Kingdom of Thailand and the Commonwealth of Australia.

As requested I have prepared and attach remarks relating to the recent visit to Australia by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Mr Kasit Piromya.

Yours faithfully

Mr W J D Jamieson
B.Juris.LL.B.
Honorary Consul

Picture William Jamieson with TAAWA President Khun See-fah

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CONSULS COMMENTS ON THE VISIT BY HE KASIT PIROMYA

His Excellency Mr Kasit Piromya, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand and his delegation traveled to Perth and attended the Joint Commission on Bilateral Co-operation between Thailand and Australia on the 8th May 2009.

This was the eleventh such Joint Commission and first hosted in Perth, Western Australia.
From Thailand’s perspective the key issues discussed were:

• Thailand’s interest in purchasing liquefied natural gas.
  



• Consideration being given by Australia to lowering the minimum score in the IELTS Test requirements for Thai workers in Australia.




• Thailand’s proposal to establish a National Institute for Human Resource Development in Tourism with the assistance of Australian experts.




• Ongoing co-operation concerning National Qualifications Framework for Higher Education and the International Centre for Excellence in Tourism and Hospitality Education.




• To seek greater Australian co-operation in trilateral co-operation projects in the PIF, GMS and ACMECS countries with Thailand.
  
  

The delegation included staff from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the most senior of which was Mrs Nongnuth Phetcharatana, Director-General, Department of American and South Pacific Affairs.

H.E. Bandhit Sotipalit, Ambassador of Thailand to Australia, H.E. The Ambassador of Thailand to New Zealand and the Consul-General of the Royal Thai Consulate-General of Sydney, with staff, also attended.

H.E. Kasit Piromya has a distinguished career of 37 years of service in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, culminating in appointment as Ambassador respectively to Moscow, Jakarta, Bonn/Berlin, Tokyo and Washington D.C.

H.E. Kasit Piromya also addressed the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia, Thai students studying in Perth and was the guest of honour at a dinner function hosted by the Thai-Australia Association of Western Australia. H.E. spoke candidly and with conviction about the relationship between the Kingdom of Thailand and the Commonwealth of Australia, his optimism for the future of democracy within Thailand and encouraged those Thais whom had settled in Australia to participate in their communities.

News on The Royal Thai Consul

Their website is in it's final stages expect to see it up and runing within 2 months, in the meantime a variety of Local Thai Community help groups at listed in W.A.T. and particular attention to "Thai in Perth" as it is written in Thai Language.