AustCham Thailand Members are Populating in Longdo

Australian Commerce has a substantial presence in Thailand.

It's why so many Australian owned/managed venues are populating across the Longdo Map
click on the photo expand

Reporter:  Phill Smith

It wasn't until we were introduced to AustCham Thailand that we discover the prominence of Australia, as Business owners and/or Managers. So with the help of the ever enthusiastic people of Longdo we embarked on a "Joint venture project" to populate Aussie Venues on Thailands Longdo Map.

Finding Aussie Venues became a "Needle in a haystack"

All known Aussie Govt., agencies we approached but they had no interest in the concept (most drew the curtain of "privacy laws"?  What the !  where talking about Business not Facebook!

We got tired of submitting writing requests (no one reads the content) and receiving the standard template response ... refer this (faulty website).  So what's is the job satisfaction?  "mai ben rai"

Fortunately we had some good luck, we found AustCham Thailand.

I had not idea just how substantial Australian Busines in Thailand is until I glanced at the AustCham Thailand website.

Their Key Features:

Promotion of business between Australia and Thailand

Representation and dialogue between AustCham, Thai Government and other business groups

Providing a dynamic networking, social and sponsorship platform

Community Services

The AustCham Management and staff have been a constant source of energy and synergy. Whether your a visitor on Business or Social their DOORS ARE OPEN. It's a productive culture and the reason I became a member. 

The highlight has been the AustCham's people network, it's quite remarkable! The monthly sundowners are the talk of Business Bangkok, it's a must do event.

The opportunity to meet the Expat community on a quality social platform is a credit to the organisers, it's clear evidence of their success. 

Bangkok Community Spirit washes away the Red Stains of May 2010

On the streets of Bangkok, a frenzied clean-up was under way to ... Many wore T-shirts printed with a slogan that read "Together We Can" and a .... Psychiatric care to rural people led to trauma. Help them now! ...

Reporter: Arwee
Thailand's prime minister said that Bangkok would get back to business after a massive clean-up, and defended a crackdown on protest rallies that unleashed a rampage of arson and looting.

Tourists walk through a street strewn with rubbish in central Bangkok on May 22. Thailand's premier has said the capital was calm and returning to normal after a massive clean-up, and defended a crackdown on protest rallies that unleashed a rampage of arson and looting.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said that schools, streets and government agencies would reopen after being shuttered to keep civilians out of central Bangkok during clashes between security forces and "Red Shirts" protesters. The stock exchange was also due to resume trading for the first time since Wednesday, when it was one of 36 major buildings torched as enraged militant Reds went on the rampage after their leaders were forced to surrender. "Everything is calm and returning to normalcy," Abhisit said in his regular Sunday television address, appearing relaxed and confident as two months of crisis that has left 86 dead and 1,900 injured abated.

However, authorities extended until Tuesday a curfew in force for four nights in Bangkok and 23 other provinces, saying the measures would remain in place "for security reasons."

During the curfew late, police said a shooting attack on a bank in the north of the capital shattered the glass doors of the building, but nobody was wounded in the incident. On the streets of Bangkok on Sunday, a frenzied clean-up was under way to remove tonnes of debris and garbage after the offensive on a protest encampment that had paralysed the shopping district for six weeks. Hordes of workers and volunteers, including foreigners, scraped away political graffiti and posters, wielded power hoses and poured foaming detergent to scrub the streets clean. Many wore T-shirts printed with a slogan that read "Together We Can" and a heart drawn in the colours of the Thai flag.

The week before was terrible in Bangkok and so many help clean up the city. I think it's part of the healing process," said a Dutch teacher living in the capital. Abhisit defended the security authorities' conduct in the final crackdown, saying the use of weapons "was based on international standards. Weapons were used for self defence and to establish peace and order".

The government has displayed a huge cache of arms it said had been collected from the ruins of the rally encampment, to quash criticism from international rights groups as well as the Reds who said they were unarmed. However, Abhisit admitted there were serious concerns over fighting at a temple within the Reds' camp which had been designated a "safe zone" but where six bodies were found after the protest's chaotic dispersal.

"The most distressing were the deaths at the Pathum Vanaram temple," he said, maintaining there was no military action at the time of the shootings but that the events would be investigated by an independent committee.

Concern has been growing over rights abuses in Thailand, with the European Union the latest to call on the authorities to respect the rights of protesters and saying the violence had harmed the nation. Human Rights Watch has also expressed alarm over a "draconian" emergency decree introduced during the crisis to hold prisoners in secret detention. Abhisit said he would proceed with a reconciliation "road-map" aimed at healing Thailand's deep divide, but gave no confirmation of the elections that are a key demand of the Red Shirts.

AustCham Members populate Thailand

We have embarked on a Major Service to promote Australian Business Community in Thailand to Business Community World Wide.

The project would not be possible if not for the enormous enthusiasm by the creators of Longdo Map Thailand

Soon you will see all AustCham Members populated across the face of Thailand's most popular mapping Service "Longdo Maps"


The benefits are significant for Bilateral Business, Community and Travel. At a glance you can see all the members, search by Members, members names or their Product or Business category, view their location details or link directly to their website.

We are very Grateful to the enthusiam and flexible work ehthic of our Joint venture friends at Longdo Maps.We have placed a lot of pressure on the Management and the developemt Team at Longdo and they have stepped up to every request and shown they have the synergy of a winning Team.

The Project started in September 2009 with the initial expression fo interest and visions concepts.

The overwhelming interest shown by the JV team made it an easy challenge.  Within a few meetings the infrastructure was in draft and tests were under way.

The next obstacle was Communication challenges between our vision and their technology which is most friendly in Thai. Losts of phone calls and supporting emails have moved us to the next stage.

The current obstacle is the training the staff. In December 2009 AusWaThai decided to fund the cost of bringing our Thai employee to Perth WA for training on the process and assist in the development of a manual that can be used for new staff as they are introduced to the system.

Unfortunately the Australian Immigration office in Bangkok has blocked the visa siting they are not satsified there is a need for the employee to visit in regard to this project. Ironcially we are trying to Promote Australian Business in Thailand and our Australian Immigration office has stalled the process. The Thailand employee is also requried to help promote other Australian icons but is fell on deaf ears.. we will continue the struggle

Our Projects to Promote Australia in Thailand are displayed on this Page
We see great opportunity to introduce this model to SME business that do no have a website, Longdo have modified the system to allow the Registered business to pay a nominal cost to Lock their page and claim Name rights. The concept has been designed to include other Australian Business ie.., Non AustCham Members so that we can get all of Australia in Thailand on display to the World.

If you are not an AustCham Member... you should be, there Network Culture is second to none and the staff are enthusiastic and well guided by the Executive Brett Gannaway (from WA)

If your an Aussie Venue in Thailand (and not in the AustCham Directory) please let us know so we can register you in Longdo Map

Recent Media articlesLongdo Maps JV with AusWaThai

AustCham - Brett Gannaway

Thailand's Longdo - and so we shall

Translation: Long=try, do=look therefore Longdo means please look or please try

click on photo to expand

Picture of the Longdo website page featuring Founding Directors

Left ภัทระ เกียรติเสวี (Pattara) and right วุฒิชัย อัมพรอร่ามเวทย์ (Vuthichai) with Phill Smith of AusWaThai

Based on Bangkok … What they do

Software development - Online Services
Longdo.COM (Dict, Map, etc.)
Useful information, powerful search, good performance
SimpleThai mobile platform
Products
Map Engine
Web-mapping, Map rasterizing tool
Mobile Platform
Thai language, Mapping, Networking/Bluetooth
Appliance Boxes
Storage module


How does that help relationship between Thailand and West Australia – Easy

They have a very strong focus toward Community, internally and Internationally.

The Map, mobile phone and Language Translation software allow Internationally Communities to interact. We are very proud to be associated Longdo and MetaMedia and acknowledge the eagerness to participate in “Joint Venture” program that will Build Links between Communities. More on the “JV” in the near future.


A simple example of how Longdo are helping Aussie in Thailand, check out this illustration

here we have the Longdo map of Thailand (bangkok) and in the search engine we use the word "aussie" and a collection of Aussie venues are listed in the Directory as well as shown on the map by Location.

Simply click on one or the other.

The location includes notes and comments about the venue, a link to the venues website.

This is a Major attraction for International Travellers and tourists
If you have a Business in Thailand you can connect their maps directing into your website Language is English or Thai.

to see an example of this visit the Busines exec tour - Bangkok - Soi 19 , page down until you see the Heading "Map Soi 19". This is only 1 example, there are more, here is another example where a link to a map is shown in the webpage but the map is shown outside the webpage - example for Wilding Golf - Bangkok

We will be progressing talks with our "JV" friends about ways of making the help notes a little easier so everyone can take full advantage of this totally free service.

Why are these guys are right for job.. easy .. check out the credentials

The company started in 2005 and 2006, Longdo being the later. Current staff are 14 a brisk burst from last year when it was 7 and inspite of the current Economic climate the intray of new client names is climbing

Example of their scope of works

Apart from the wierd and wonderful electronic solutions that dazzle the brain the company makes major (SILENT) contribution to support their Community. The Thai translation and Dictionary modules provide great resource for learning English Language.

We invite, no we request, our readers to distribute news of this resource through their friendship network.

A new and innovative company developing programs and software products to suit the needs of dynamic emerging and companies


Contact details: http://www.londgo.com/





LINKS
Other articles about Longdo (Aussie) and other connections - in the right hand panel click on the tag word Longdo or use the search box at the top of the blog
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he Ponders the division of the People

Finally, an educated farang has come out to say that the New York Times, the Washington Post and the Economist don't understand what the Thais think. Professor Stephen Young happened to pass by Bangkok, and he was interviewed by Suthichai Yoon on TV. From the interview, you can see that he really undertands Thailand very well. His view is quite impartial, coming from a man who have spent many years in Thailand.

extract from an interview with Nation editor-in-chief Suthichai Yoon, Professor Stephen Youn

Image via Wikipedia

g - credited among those who discovered the bronze-age site of Ban Chiang in northeastern Thailand in 1966 (now a Unesco world-heritage site) - deplores the "ridiculous" national division he insists has resulted from Thaksin Shinawatra's "imperial" ambition.

Suthichai Yoon: Professor Young, you've been watching Thai politics closely, the red shirts, the yellow shirts, and of course you are part of Thailand as well. You grew up here, you went to the international school here. Looking from afar now, what do you think of Thailand; does it still have a future?

Professor Young: Well, I think that's the right question to ask. If you look at Thailand from afar, most foreigners don't know much about what's going on. The Western idea, the Western press coverage is very superficial.

SY: Even the New York Times?
PY: Yes, the New York Times especially. The Washington Post. The Economist. Foreigners don't know the way the Thais think. I'm more worried now about Thailand than ever before. When I first came here in 1961, that was 48 years ago, and my father was the American ambassador, we had a wonderful family relationship with Thailand. Maybe different from many foreigners. I don't speak Thai so well anymore, but I have a feeling that there's something special to us, to our family, my father, my mother, or myself, my brother, my sister about Thailand. We care about Thailand. My dad was close to His Majesty, close to [ex-PM Field Marshal] Sarit [Thanarat], and in 1961 there was this [big] gap between the Bangkok elite and the rural poor, a real gap. So, today, 2009, when I hear the red shirts say there's a gap between Bangkok and ban nok [upcountry], I think it's ridiculous. Today, there's a gap, but in 1961 it was much bigger.
I just went back to Ban Chiang. When I went there 43 years ago, there was no electricity, no flush toilet, and if you needed hot water, you had to boil it. Chicken was too expensive. You had to eat little fish from the pond. Today there's electricity, flush toilets, hot water and ATM machines. Most of the houses have Internet.

SY: At that time, there wasn't even a telephone.
PY: No telephone. Radios. I remember we had radios with batteries. The strongest station was communist Chinese, broadcasting Chinese propaganda, so I remembered sitting in Ban Chiang listening to Chinese communist propaganda, and in Thai.

SY: From Beijing?
PY: From Beijing. Radio Beijing. Today it's television, international television. The people are watching soccer games in Europe. The people have cell phones. A lady who was with me was calling another lady to tell the car to pick me up at the airport. This is modern Thailand. So many changes. In 1961 it was my dad, with the passion of His Majesty and Field Marshal Sarit. He was a dictator, a military dictator, he was a tough guy, but he cared about the people, especially Isaan [the Northeast], and His Majesty also cared about Isaan. So the government began all these programmes. The roads in Ban Chiang are all cement. Before, it was dirt road. Thailand has done so much and I think in particular, the people in Bangkok, the Bangkok elite. In particular His Majesty deserves appreciation for what he's done for Thailand. So when I hear all these strange things about Thailand not having this and that, the need to change, some intellectuals want to run a revolution or something, I think this is crazy. It makes no sense to me.

SY: Why do you think they have this rumbling about change?
PY: My feeling, quite frankly, is that this goes back to the ambition of one man.

SY: Thaksin?
PY: Thaksin. And I ask myself why is he such a threat to Thailand?

Image via Wikipedia

SY: You knew him before?
PY: No. Only by reputation. When I first heard of him, when he started the Shin Corporation, what I heard was: he's a police major who got a contract from the government for telephones after one of the coups. Now I ask myself, back then, 1993, something like that, how do you get a contract from the government? What do you have to do to get a contract? And I noticed Khun Thaksin made more money, became more wealthy, all because he has a government licence.

SY: A monopoly.
PY: A monopoly, not because he was out there working like other people. He had a monopoly that the government gave him. The Thai people represented by the government gave him an exclusive, elitist, monopolistic special privilege. This is aristocracy. This is elitism. This is not a man who started poor in a village and worked his way up. He has special connections and I've seen him use many special connections. But I've never seen Thai society so divided. Even the divisions over the West during the time of King Rama 4 and 5 were not this serious, neither was the division over the communists. The communists failed in Thailand. They could not divide the Thai people.
Thaksin has divided the Thai people and this is sad. The Thai people should not be so divided and angry. Even my family friends, the family is divided. Some of the brothers and sisters are yellow, and some are red. And around the dinner table, they argue and get angry. So I think ... sabai ... where did it go?

SY: But Thaksin claimed that he changed the face of Thai politics. He made the masses, the rural people, speak up for the first time. It's the first time they benefited from politics. They can touch, consume and eat politics.
PY: I think that's ridiculous. Rural people in their communities have always had their patrons. They can always have some influence in this group and that group. I have my view, my patron. I look up to you, you take care of me. You are at the provincial level and you reach the Bangkok level, so I can get it to the Bangkok level only through you. This has been true for a long time.
Thaksin is in exile. He wants a pardon, he wants his money back, he doesn't want the conviction. Other Thai political leaders have not acted like that, if you look back.

SY: All the way back to Pridi Panomyong?
PY: Before that. We had the coup of 1932 and Prince Nakornsawan, the powerful Chakri prince, was asked to leave. He did, and he died in exile and never came back. His Majesty King Prachatipok felt there was a new situation and he abdicated. He went to England. He died in England. At his cremation, in 1941 I think, there were his queen and several relatives. No complaints. Pridi: He felt the situation changed. He left. General Pao, the powerful police general, left when Sarit took over and did not come back. Sarit, after he died, there was an argument how much money he made and the government took the money back. The family did not argue. Khun Thanom lost his money and went into exile. So I ask myself why is Thaksin different? Why doesn't he think like a Thai?

SY: Why?

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

PY: I think it's because he's not really a Thai Thai. He has other ideas in his head. He does not say kreng jai. He does not think about merit and sin. He thinks about how he can be a powerful man. He wants to be the leader of everybody, the big boss of everybody. This kind of thinking to me reflects not Thai Buddhism, but Chinese imperial thinking. The imperial thinking of the Chinese emperor. The Chinese theory. If you read about this, and I've studied a lot about it, we see this thinking.
So everything that Thaksin does, how he ran his government, how he put his money here and there, it's just like 2,000 years ago. Same thinking. This idea was that, above the earth is heaven, or tian, and there's one man- and underneath is everybody else. And when Thaksin wants to control the government, police, army, judges, businesses, TV, newspapers - that's bringing everything under him. No Thai leader in history has ever tried to do this. King Naresuen never tried to do this. King Rama I didn't try to do this. This is something new and different. Therefore, the Thai people are divided over this. Something new was added by Thaksin.

Image via Wikipedia

Professor Stephen B Young is the global executive director of the Caux Round Table and an editorial commentator for Twin Cities Daily Planet newswire. He was educated at the International School Bangkok, Harvard College (graduating Magna Cum Laude) and Harvard Law School (graduating Cum Laude). He was a former assistant dean at Harvard Law School and former dean of Hamline University School of Law. He is widely recognised for his knowledge of Asian history and politics, and has taught at various prestigious institutes. His articles have been published in well-known newspapers including the New York Times

Bangkok is popular destination for Australian Corporate seminars

Bangkok is once more on the hot list for conference and incentive trips, with Thai Airways reporting a surge in quotes and bookings for travel over the next 18 months.

Thai is reporting a surge in MICE bookings. Thai Airways Marketing Manager Australia, Sue Marr, said the airline was also not just seeing interest in the Thai capital but across the country and the region as a whole.

“After a very flat year this year, our groups department is very busy quoting well into 2010 and 2011 – Thailand, Asia and Europe routes are all popular”. Marr said group and incentive bookings are “getting better every day with group sizes increasing along with the length of stay”, while expectations remain positive for the next 12 months.

Image via Wikipedia

“Because of the conservative approach from many organisations this year, we’re expecting some solid growth for the next year (but) we’re already seeing that in the quote and booking patterns,” she said. Marr said Thai Airways routes to and from Australia are performing well at present, despite the economic downturn still playing a major factor for airlines globally.

“Our aim is for 70 per-cent loads across the network and most of the Australian services are achieving this goal and more,” she said. “September and October are doing very well as traditionally these months see a strong traffic movements to/from Europe for late summer. And while the early Europe season was soft this year it’s pleasing to see some improving trends at the back-end of the year.

“The non-stop Perth to Phuket route is always good and reflects the importance of the destination to the West Australian market,” she said. Thailand is the focus for Australia’s travel writing community this week, with around 200 members of the Australian Society of Travel Writers (ASTW) descending on Bangkok for the organisation’s Annual General Meeting on Saturday (Aug 22).

Image via Wikipedia

Thai Airways and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) are the major sponsors of the ASTW AGM, which also includes pre- and post-conference familiarisation tours to all corners of Thailand.

Marr said there were a number of reasons why Thai Airways elected to sponsor the ASTW event for 2009. “Thailand is our home-base and geographically and strategically, it’s a very important regional hub for our key routes into Europe, the Middle-East, China, India and Indochina,” she said. “It’s important that we support and maintain Thailand as a viable stopover option wherever they travel on our worldwide network.

“The value of Thailand is incomparable and whilst it has many options as a complete destination itself, Thai’s flight operations at Suvarnabhumi Bangkok International Airport make it easier for everyone including transit, transfer and stopover travellers. “It makes perfect sense for Thai to partner with TAT to take the ASTW AGM to Thailand this year and it is perfect timing for both of us to reap the rewards of a re-energised consumer demand for international travel,” Marr said.

Tourism Authority of Thailand Public Relations Manager – Australia, Pongsak Kanittanon, said ASTW members and their partners could expect a typically warm, Thai welcome this weekend. “Thailand is very keen to showcase its traditional hospitality as well as its many attractions throughout the Kingdom,” he said

Building links West Australia and Thailand http://www.austhai.biz/

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Thailand has the potential to be Australia's Organic Food supplier

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Organic products are the fastest growing food industry in the world, and in Australia demand is rapidly out stripping supply.

Image by val'sphotos via Flickr

Image by val'sphotos via Flickr

The Australian organic industry says that while the local industry is expanding, it's being hampered by a lack of government support.

So importers are now turning to Thailand to fill a production shortage.

article from ABC Radio

Presenter: Stephanie
March Speakers: Andre Leu, chairman, Organic Federation of Australia; Matt Fard, purchase manager, Australian organic wholesaler Eco Farm; Wallop Pichpongsa, president, Thai Organic Trade Association

MARCH: Australian consumption of organic products is increasing by 40 per cent each year. Local production is rising by between six and fifteen percent. The chairman of the Organic Federation of Australia Andre Leu says the retail arm of the organic industry is alone worth more than half a billion US dollars.

LEU: But also if we start to look at flow on effects, like the compost industry, that produces a lot of the raw material for organic farm that is worth about 400 million itself and there are other industries that supply the types of products that we need for organic farming we are worth over a billion dollars to the Australian economy so we are not longer this insignificant little cottage industry.

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MARCH: He says despite organic foods being part of the fastest growing industry in the world, there isn't enough support for existing mainstream Australian farmers to adopt organic techniques.

LEU: The problem is the governments who still sort of believe that we are a we are still a fad that is going away, and so they are not getting behind us to help farmers adopt organic techniques because for most farmers its a huge paradigm shift. It's not a matter of doing what you do one day and the next day you stop using chemicals, they will have crop failure. We actually have to train these farmers over years how to bring in organic management systems.


MARCH: Australia is also experiencing it's worst drought on record, making in difficult to grow certain crops - like rice. Andre Leu says ideally Australia's organic production industry will

Image via Wikipedia

eventually grow to fill demand where it can, but the only solution to the immediate supply shortfall is to increase imports.

LEU: to grow this industry we need to keep our consumers happy so we need to have products on the shelves, and so we need to import.

MARCH: Australia already imports a number of organic products from Europe and the United States, but Thailand now says it wants to increase its stake in the Australian market. Matt Fard, purchase manager for Australian organic wholesaler Eco Farm, says Thailand has a reputation for producing quality organic products.

FARD: In rice products and coconut products they have better quality than China and Sri

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Lankan products.

MARCH: Thailand's organic agricultural industry is worth almost 100-million-US-dollars annually - more than half of which is for export. The president of the Thai Organic Trade Association Wallop Pichpongsa says demand is so strong for their product, that Thai producers are struggling to keep up with certification requirements of emerging markets.

PICHPONGSA: For Thailand as the exporter we have to have certification for the EU, the US, Japan, and Aust require us to have the cert we have to have another one so that is one company or on producer may have to have many certificates.

MARCH: A delegation from the Thai government recently visited an Organic Expo in the Australian city of Melbourne, and now says it's working on streamlining certification guidelines to make it easier for Thai producers to export to Australia. Mr Pichpongsa wants the Thai government to engage in multi-lateral talks with other nations, to establish a universal set of organic certifications, to take the burden off this rapidly growing industry.

Business with Thailand www.austhai.biz

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Australia promotes Asia Pacific Community plan

CANBERRA, July Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith promoted

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Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's plan for an Asia Pacific Community at an ASEAN meeting in Thailand on Thursday.

Smith said he was pleased at the positive response from many countries to the idea, and to the further information Australia provided about the plan.

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"Our notion of an Asia Pacific Community is to get all the same players in the same place at the same time," Smith told Sky News.
Smith noted once again that it was a long-term initiative, with a 2020 timeframe.

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"I expect we will see it evolve over time, just as ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) itself has evolved," he said, referring to ASEAN's growth from half a dozen nation states in the '60s to its present 10 countries.


He pointed to the evolution of groupings like the East Asia Summit, which the United States is considering joining.

Smith said although ASEAN would continue to play a central role in the Asia Pacific, it was important to ensure institutions in the region reflected its growth and significance.

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FTA Summit Thailand October

The FTA has the potential to multiply manifold the India-ASEAN bilteral trade, which cu

Image by unjoshr via Flickr

rrently stands at around $38 billion. Krishna also held talks here with his counterparts from 16 countries of the East Asia Summit (EAS) Wednesday morning. Krishna, who arrived here Tuesday night on a three-day visit, underlined India’s desire for greater economic and strategic engagement with economically vibrant East Asian region that boasts an annual output of $1.1 trillion and represents more than half the world’s population. India is a dialogue partner at ASEAN, which comprises Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar and Brunei.

Image by Eustaquio Santimano via Flickr

Phuket (Thailand), July 22 (IANS) India Wednesday made a strong pitch for a pan-A

sian response to global challenges like financial meltdown and terrorism as it gets ready to sign a free trade area (FTA) agreement in goods at its next summit with the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Thailand in October.

“The steady diversification of our relationship with ASEAN countries is, therefore, a natural process and for us, a matter of deep satisfaction,” India’s External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna said at his meeting with the foreign ministers of 10 ASEAN countries in this Thai island resort.
“We are committed to bringing India and ASEAN even closer to each other through exploring our synergies to realise full potential of our relationship,” he said while giving a fresh momentum to India’s Look East policy.

Image by [2]rokbot[2]y via Flickr

Terrorism, collective ways of dealing with the global financial crisis and a pan-regional strategy for disaster mitigation were among the issues discussed at the meeting.
“Finalisation of the text of ASEAN-India Agreement on Trade-in-Goods is a major step forward in this direction,” Krishna said, setting the stage for India’s seventh summit with the ASEAN.
“We are hopeful of signing the FTA in goods at the next summit in Thailand,” N. Ravi, secretary (east) in India’s external affairs ministry, told reporters.

Besides the 10 nations of ASEAN, the 16-nation EAS also comprises India, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, China and South Korea.
Krishna will participate in the 16th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Thursday – Asia’s biggest annual security gathering that will be dominated by terrorism, the North Korean nuclear issue and the global financial crisis.
Foreign ministers from 27 countries, including those of the US, China and Pakistan will participate in the ARF.

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