Srettha to pay visit to Sri Lanka to sign free-trade agreement
Bangkok Post - 30 January 2024
Srettha to pay visit to Sri Lanka to sign free-trade agreement
By Mongkol Bangprapa
Prime Minister and Finance Minister Srettha Thavisin will visit Sri Lanka on Saturday and Sunday to sign a free-trade agreement (FTA) and be the guest of honour at the country’s independence anniversary day celebrations.
Government spokesman Chai Wacharonke said on Monday Mr Srettha was scheduled to visit Sri Lanka from Feb 3 to 4 after accepting President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s official invitation to be the guest of honour in celebration of the South Asian country’s 76th independence day as well as sign a free-trade deal.
The agreement will be Thailand’s 15th FTA and the first since Mr Srettha assumed the premiership in August last year.
During the visit, the prime minister will also participate in a discussion with high-level executives in Sri Lanka’s private and public sectors.
Mr Srettha will also deliver a speech at a seminar on trade and investment opportunities in Sri Lanka co-organised by Thailand’s Commerce Ministry and Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Trade as well as the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce to promote bilateral trade and investments.
Thailand and Sri Lanka have maintained a close relationship for many years as both countries share a strong faith in Buddhism, with the upcoming visit presenting an opportunity to further strengthen their partnership, especially in economic areas.
