Thai PM : ASEAN Highway to be completed in 4 years

BANGKOK, Nov 14 (TNA) - Relations between Thailand and its neighbour Myanmar are still warm while an ongoing construction of ASEAN Highway which will facilitate communications between the two countries further will be completed in the next four years, says Prime Minister Gen. Surayud Chulanont.

Gen. Surayud told Government House reporters on Monday in a first official meeting with the media since his government has come into power following a bloodless coup on Sept 19 that relations between the two countries have continued well as construction of a 60-kilometer long ASEAN Highway segment would be completed in the next four years.

So far, construction work has progressed 20 kilometres, or one-third of the total distance while the remainder is taking a longer time due to the rugged nature of the high elevation terrain, he said.

"I've said that Thailand and Myanmar's (political) stances are almost the same--except that Thailand has said that a draft of its new constitution (will be in place) and an election will be held within a year," Gen.
Surayud indicated.

"Thailand wants to see Myanmar to follow a democratic path without confrontation," the prime minister said.

Gen. Surayud said he planned to meet his Myanmar counterpart Gen. Soe Win after attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders conference to be held in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi this weekend.

TNA