BANGKOK (AFP) — Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has headed to Laos for his first official overseas visit, saying he intended to strengthen existing ties with one of the kingdom's key regional allies.
"Thailand and Laos have cooperated to progress several joint projects... This trip will help strengthen our relationship," Abhisit told reporters.
He said joint projects included infrastructure works to build railways and roads across their common border, as well as the building of a sports stadium in Laos.
Thailand has lately been cultivating Laos as a main regional ally, with the energy-hungry nation buying increasing amounts of electricity from its communist neighbour to the north.
Abhisit said he would not discuss the ethnic minority Lao Hmong migrants with his Laotian counterpart as a joint border committee (JBC) was already handling the issue.
Thailand's foreign ministry has said it had agreed to repatriate 5,000 members of the Hmong ethnic minority to Laos from Thai refugee camps.
"We already have a framework for this issue under the JBC committee and everything has proceeded smoothly," Abhisit said.
"There is no problem on the Hmong issue as we have a mechanism to return them home smoothly," he said.
Thousands of Lao Hmong live in camps in northeast Thailand and are seeking political asylum, saying they fear persecution at home because many of them fought alongside US forces during the Vietnam War.
Thailand, however, claims they are economic migrants seeking work, and has been slowly shipping the Hmong back to Laos, to the horror of human rights groups.
Abhisit, who took office in mid-December following months of political turmoil, travelled to Laos with Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya and Army Chief General Anupong Paojinda.
The premier is due to meet counterpart Bouasone Bouphavanh and President Choummaly Sayasone in Vientiane before returning to Bangkok Friday evening, according to an official government website.
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