Thailand rolls out red carpet as Bangladesh PM arrives

A red carpet was rolled out to accord warm reception to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as she arrived in Bangkok this  afternoon on a six-day official visit to Thailand at the invitation of her Thai counterpart Srettha Thavisin.

On her arrival at Don Mueang International Airport, Bangkok at 01:08 pm (local time), the premier was received by Thai Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul.

She was given a guard of honour and a 19-round gun-salute at the airport.

Thailand Minister-in-Attendance Puangpet Chunlaiad, Thai Ambassador to Bangladesh Makawadee Sumitmor and Bangladesh Ambassador to Thailand Mohammed Abdul Hye were present at the airport.

Earlier, the Bangladesh premier left Dhaka by a flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines at 10:13 am (BD time) to pay the six-day tour, which is both a bilateral and multilateral visit.

During her visit on April 24-29, the Bangladesh premier will hold bilateral talks with PM Thavisin and also attend the 80th Session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).

Bangladesh and Thailand will sign a number of cooperation documents including a letter of intent on negotiations for a free trade agreement between the two countries.

Bangladesh and Thailand are likely to sign an agreement on visa exemption for official passport holders, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on energy cooperation while two more MoUs on tourism sector cooperation and duty related mutual cooperation to expand the relations, Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud told a media briefing on Monday.

On April 26, Bangladesh Prime Minister will be formally received by her Thai counterpart Srettha Thavisin while a ceremonial guard of honor will be accorded to her.

On the same day, the Bangladesh premier will hold bilateral talks with PM Thavisin at the Government House (Prime Minister's Office) following a tete-a-tete between the two leaders, witness the signing of the documents, participate in a joint press conference and then attend a state lunch to be hosted by her Thai counterpart in her honour there.

During the visit, the prime minister will have a Royal audience of Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua and Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshan, King and Queen of the Kingdom of Thailand at the Palace.

In her multilateral engagement, Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to attend the 80th Session of ESCAP and deliver a speech on April 25.

On the same day, the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and ESCAP Executive Secretary Armida Salsiah Alisjabana will call on the prime minister.

The premier is expected to return home on April 29.