DHAKA: The first-ever Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) between Bangladesh and Thailand will be held in Dhaka from June 24 to June 25 (Wednesday-Thursday).

A nine-member Thai delegation led by Thailand Foreign Secretary Norachit Sinhaseni is set to arrive in city on Wednesday to participate the FOC.

Senior officials of Foreign Ministry will receive the delegation at Hajrat Shahjalal International Airport, says a press release issued by Foreign Ministry on Tuesday.

The Thai delegation includes Director General and other senior officials of Department of South Asian, Middle East and African affairs and Director of Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA).

According to the release, Bangladesh and Thailand signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on the Establishment of Bilateral Consultations between the both countries’ foreign ministries during former Thai premier Yingluck Shinawatra’s visit to Dhaka in 2012.

Under the MOU, the FOC is going to take place where Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque and Thai Foreign Secretary Norachit Sinhaseni will lead their respective sides.

Issues including bilateral trade, investment and technical cooperation, road, air and seaports connectivity, employment of Bangladeshi workers in Thailand, introduction of Buddhist circuit tourism between both countries, cooperation in defense, culture and sports and collaboration in regional forum including BIMSTEC, ARF and ASEM will be discussed at the FCO.

After attending the FOC, the Thai Foreign Secretary is scheduled to call on the Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali on Thursday afternoon.

The Thai delegation, however, will leave Dhaka on Thursday night.

BDST: 0902 HRS, JUN 23, 2015
HB/RS