`India, Thailand should focus on security ties'

SINGAPORE, NOV. 25. The 52-year-old Thai Prime Minister is a hands-on man. Mr. Thaksin Shinawatra, founder of a massive telecommunications empire in Thailand, has a lot of hopes pinned on him back home.

Many Thais want him to replicate for the country what he did for his business. A former police officer, Mr. Thaksin is no stranger to politics having been Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister from 1994 to 1997.

As Deputy Prime Minister, he was in-charge of the all- important portfolio in Thailand - the snarling traffic of Bangkok. In July 1998, he founded the Thai Rak Thai (Thais Love Thais) party, which he led to victory earlier this year. On February 9, he became the 23rd Prime Minister of Thailand.

Mr. Thaksin has kept a busy foreign policy schedule. He first visited his neighbours and has just completed a visit to Japan. His next stop after India will be the United States.

The following is his written response to questions submitted by Amit Baruah:

What will be the focus of your visit to India? Does Thailand see the emergence of a growth area comprising India, Thailand and Myanmar, especially since all three countries cooperate in the BIMST-EC (Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand Economic Cooperation) framework?

Mr. Thaksin: The primary focus of my visit is, first, to strengthen bilateral relations between our two countries, especially in economic, trade and scientific areas. We wish to reinforce the close bonds of friendship between India and Thailand on a broad front. Secondly, we wish to explore and build on the considerable strength, expertise and skills of both nations to promote a new level of economic and interactive cooperation to generate economic growth and prosperity in the region. Thirdly, we wish to enhance a direct dialogue with our counterparts on a personal dimension.

Cooperation between India, Myanmar and Thailand should be seen as part of a wider strategy of cooperation between India and Southeast Asia as a whole. By reason of geography, the development of transportation links between the three countries is essential to achieving BIMST-EC's goal of facilitating the flow of trade, investment and tourists among its members. This also fits the aims of the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation. All frameworks for cooperation that will lead to improved prospects for growth, whether bilateral, sub-regional or regional, should be optimised.

The last time an Indian Prime Minister visited Thailand was in 1993 and a Thai Prime Minister is going to India after some 12 years. Does this reflect that the two sides have not paid sufficient attention to the bilateral relationship at the highest level?

My Government considers our relationship with India as a high priority. For us, India is the major partner in our relationship with South Asia because of our long-standing historical and cultural ties. There has been considerable progress in our bilateral relations, especially in trade and investment, after India started its liberalisation process in the early 1990s. During the last 5 years, we have jointly founded the BIMST-EC and the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation frameworks. This could not have been done without the mutual friendship and understanding that we have in our relationship.

In looking ahead to the visit, we hope to map out a broad strategy for forming new foundations for regional and economic cooperation that will be mutually beneficial in real and tangible terms, i.e., a rice trade agreement, exploring bilateral free trade arrangement and payment arrangement for specific commodities or an account trade arrangement. We have also suggested that Thailand, India and Myanmar should cooperate in linking our road networks in order to expand trade, investment and tourism opportunities. The response at this stage has been quite positive.

Given the changing priorities, requirements and challenges of globalisation, the IT revolution and new avenues of partnership, India and Thailand must interact more closely in many spheres to enhance each other and to enrich the world. Following my visit, I firmly believe that bilateral dialogues at all levels, especially between our businessmen, will increase exponentially in the near term.

What role do you perceive India playing in Southeast Asia? An ASEAN-India summit was agreed to after a year- long discussion in ASEAN. Does this reflect any reluctance on the part of ASEAN to engage with India at the level of Head of Government?

As I earlier mentioned, India has always been the focal point and major partner in our relations with South Asia. With regard to Southeast Asia, we welcome an Indian role in the promotion of peace, progress and development in the region. In fact, we would like India to contribute more to our regions' scientific and technological development, especially in the area of information technology. This is an area in which India has made most remarkable progress and can certainly make a positive contribution to our region.

India is an integral and highly significant player in Asia and the world. It is therefore only natural that ASEAN should engage India on a regional basis as a dialogue partner. On our part, Thailand has always supported the idea of an ASEAN- India summit. This summit marks a major milestone and indicates that both sides recognise one another as a reliable, meaningful, independent and equal partner. All of us in the ASEAN now look forward to enhancing our cooperation and dialogue with India on issues of mutual interest.

Given the problem of terrorism and anti-piracy, both in Southeast and South Asia, do you see the possibility of greater security cooperation and coordination between India and Thailand?

Thailand has always recognised the threat of terrorism to the peace, security, progress and development of all nations across international borders. Combating terrorism in all forms must be part of a worldwide regional and sub-regional effort. We wholeheartedly support concerted actions within the international community, at both the bilateral and multi-lateral levels, to prevent and eliminate this threat.

Improving security and judicial processes between India and Thailand will be new areas for greater cooperation between our two countries in the future. We would also welcome cooperation with India in the form of consultations and exchanges of security-related information.

What is your assessment of the current economic problems confronting Southeast Asian countries? Does this dim the prospects of ASEAN as a major regional entity and point to the need for greater cooperation with India, a major economy and a country which shares a 1,400-km. border with its immediate ASEAN neighbour, Myanmar?

The financial crisis of 1997, the September 11 attacks on the U.S. and the ensuing campaign against terrorism have severely impacted the world economy. Trade investments and economic growth are expected to substantially decline and impede the recovery of Asia and the world at large. In the short term, growth will be lower. However, in the medium term, as the economic and financial restructuring undertaken by Thailand and other Asian economies begin to take hold, we expect Asia to rebound strongly. With a renewed emphasis on domestic, cross- border and regional markets, Asia can bloom despite the worldwide slowdown.

The current economic problems facing the Southeast Asian countries do not significantly dim the prospects of ASEAN as a major regional entity. Open economies are naturally susceptible to external shocks but the global economic slowdown is not going to last forever. In the meantime, only through a re- examination and promotion of new avenues of cooperation, as well as the opening of our markets for other Asian products, will we be able to ensure an equitable balance and safeguards for our own destinies.

Since greater economic cooperation is needed, ASEAN welcomes new partnerships. ASEAN+3 (Japan, China, S. Korea) is a notable example. The formalisation of the ASEAN-India summit will lead to further trade expansion and especially in the area of information technology, there is much room for the sharing of skills and knowledge.

One of the most exciting things that can be gained from expanded economic cooperation is the development of a road and rail network linking us all. For example, under the East-West Economic Corridor project, road linkages will be developed between Vietnam, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar. Equally promising are road linkages connecting the above countries with southern China. If such route linkages could also be established between ASEAN and India, this expanded route network will greatly facilitate trade and investments in South and Southeast Asia.

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