PM on dual-purpose trip to US west coast and APEC summit

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra departed Bangkok yesterday for a diplomatic mission combining stops in Los Angeles and Lima, Peru. Accompanied by Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa and other officials, the delegation touched down in Los Angeles at 7.30pm local time, yesterday, November 10.

The Thai premier’s Los Angeles agenda includes chairing a strategic meeting with diplomatic representatives from across the Americas to discuss Thailand’s economic and foreign policy directions.

A highlight of the 38 year old Thai PM’s California visit involves engaging with the Thai-American community, which at 400,000 strong represents Thailand’s largest overseas population. The visit includes a stop at a local Thai temple.

Notable on her schedule is a reception with the Motion Picture Association, where she’ll meet top executives from major American film studios.

Government spokesperson Jirayu Huangsap highlighted the potential for this meeting, noting that film production in Thailand is expected to generate over 4 billion baht in revenue this year. The government plans to streamline processes for international film productions in Thailand.

The delegation will then proceed to Lima on Wednesday for the 31st APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, scheduled for November 14 to 16. The PM’s APEC itinerary encompasses meetings with the US-APEC Business Coalition, informal discussions with fellow APEC leaders, and a retreat-style ABAC Dialogue luncheon.

Bilateral meetings are planned with various attendees, including Peruvian President Dina Ercilia Boluarte Zegarra and private sector leaders.

Following the conclusion of the APEC summit on November 16, the Bangkok-born PM will return to Thailand, with an expected arrival time of 11.10am on November 18, reported The Nation.

In other news, promoting Thailand’s exports and tackling food security issues have taken centre stage at two significant regional meetings in China, as declared by Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra yesterday, November 6.

The Thai PM is participating in the 8th Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Economic Cooperation Summit and the 10th Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) summit, both held in China’s Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province. These meetings are scheduled to conclude today.