IN A MEETING with French President Emmanuel Macron at 9.30 a.m. in Paris (2.30 p.m. in Thailand) today (May 26) Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul insisted that Thailand was not the aggressor in the two rounds of fighting with Cambodia last year, PPTVHD36 said.
As Macron had inquired about the border conflict with Cambodia, Anutin clarified the situation within the context of Thailand.
He pointed out that he had continuously visited the border areas during the conflict with Bhumjaithai Party, which he heads and is the core of the current coalition government, having MPs in almost every border province, including Buriram, Surin, Sisaket, Ubon Ratchathani, Trat, Chanthaburi, Sa Kaeo, and Prachinburi and this provided an opportunity to interact closely with security, administrative, and public health officials, as well as inspect the conflict zones first-hand.
He also told the French President that when he explains the border situation to leaders or representatives of various countries, he confidently presents the facts because he has both data and photographs from the border which confirm that Thailand acted appropriately to protect its sovereignty and the safety of its people.
“I told the French President that Thailand is primarily defending itself, but if there is any aggression, we will respond fully. The government is trying to explain this to the international community,” he said.
Anutin further stated that during his visit to France, he also discussed the matter with UNESCO after learning that Cambodia had requested an inspection of World Heritage temples that might have been affected by the fighting. He insisted that if an inspection was to be conducted, it should also include the Thai side, not just the requesting country, to demonstrate that the clashes were not one-sided.
Meanwhile Ms. Rachada Thanadirek, spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office, said Anutin’s visit to France during May 22-26 was in fact a “working visit” with a clear objective of establishing Thailand’s presence in Europe, opening doors to opportunities in trade, investment, energy, culture, education, security, and long-term cooperation with France and the European region, Amarin TV said.
In a meeting with MEDEF International and 38 French investors, Anutin invited them to invest in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), clean energy, AI, digital technology, EVs, aviation, biotechnology, and advanced industries. France is Thailand’s fourth largest trading partner in the European Union, and over the past five years, French companies have applied for investment promotion for nearly 100 projects worth over 725 million euros.
At the same time, leading French companies such as Airbus, EssilorLuxottica, Imerys, IN Groupe, and Thales expressed interest in or are moving forward with expansion in Thailand in areas such as aviation, electric vehicles (EVs), advanced materials, AI glasses, digital ID systems, and cybersecurity.
CAPTION:
Thai Prime Minister/Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul holding talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, above and Front Page, and meeting French investors, insert. Photos – Amarin TV
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