Prime Minister General Thein Sein pays courtesy call on King Bhumibol Adulyadej

NAY PYI TAW, 1 May. Prime Minister General Thein Sein paid a courtesy call on Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej at Chitralada Palace in Bangkok, Thailand yesterday.

Together with Prime Minister General Thein Sein, Minister for Foreign Affairs U Nyan Win, Minister for National Planning and Economic Development U Soe Tha, Myanmar Ambassador to Thailand U Ye Win, Director-General Col Thant Shin of the Government Office were present on the occasion.

Together with the Thai King were Thai Prime Minister Mr Samak Sundaravej, the Minister of Tourism and Sports and Thai Ambassador to Myanmar Mr Bonsarn Bunnag.

First, the Thai King said that the goodwill visit of the Myanmar Prime Minister would bring about the improvement of mutual trust between the two nations. He thanked Myanmar for warmly welcoming Thai Princess Sirindhorn, who visited Myanmar three times.

Prime Minister General Thein Sein said Head of State Senior General Than Shwe recalled his two visits to Thailand. He had conveyed the message of Head of State Senior General Than Shwe for the health and prosperity of the Thai King. He continued to explain the development of Myanmar and collaboration on cementing friendship between Myanmar and Thailand.

Concerning democratization process, the Thai King said the examples of some western powers stood witness to the fact that too much democracy was not good. So much talk and less work was not either. The western big nations accused Thailand of being weak in exercising democracy. The democracy being practised by Thailand was better than the one they were practising.

He added that Myanmar was rich in natural resources and close cooperation between Myanmar and Thailand would contribute to the benefits of the two nations.

I wonder what NM pundits have to say regarding this. Would the Burmese propaganda machine dare make up quotes which may potentially damage foreign relations? Or is there more…