Thai prime minister meets Aquino in Malacañang

Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha meets with President Benigno Aquino III at Malacañang. KRISTINE ANGELI SABILLO/INQUIRER.net

Thailand’s Prime Minister, General Prayut Chan-o-cha, visited President Benigno Aquino III in Malacañang on Friday morning for a courtesy call.

Aquino received Prayut and his wife, Naraporn Chan-o-cha, at the Malacañang Palace grounds after the prime minister attended a wreath laying event at the Rizal Monument with Manila Mayor Joseph “Erap” Ejercito Estrada.

Present at the event were Thai and Filipino officials, including Cabinet Secretary Jose Rene Almendras, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr., Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala, Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo, Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, and Presidential Management Staff chief Julia Abad.

After the welcome ceremony, Prayut was ushered to the reception hall for the signing of the guest book.

The actual courtesy call was held for about 20 minutes, followed by an hour-long expanded bilateral meeting.

Aquino and Prayut gave a press statement before the state luncheon scheduled at 12:30 p.m.

They tackled the issues of security, trade and tourism.

The prime minister will leave the country to return to Thailand on Friday afternoon. He arrived in the Philippines on Thursday evening.

Prayut assumed office in August last year. Kristine Angeli Sabillo/IDL

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