Caretaker Foreign Minister Kantathi Supamongkhon said that under the agreement there

would be exchange visits by artists and dancers, as well as film screenings.

"We want to strengthen cultural cooperation so that both peoples will have more understanding of each other. There will be a lot of enjoyable events regarding this issue," he said.

Kantathi was speaking during a two-day visit to Dhaka at the invitation of his counterpart Manjur Morshed Khan. Kantathi also paid a courtesy call on Bangladeshi Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia.

Kantathi also used the opportunity to put the case for Thai construction firms to construct an expressway in Dhaka to help alleviate the traffic conge stion.

Dhaka also invited Thai firms to invest in many fields including services, spas, restaurants and hotel management.

Meanwhile, Thai International Airways proposed an increase in the number of flights between Bangkok and Dhaka from seven to 10 per week.

"Bilateral cooperation is very good. Thai Airways International will help manage the airport in Chittagong from September," he said.

Bangkok also sought cooperation on gas between PTT Plc and Bangladesh's Petro Bangla.

Khan, meanwhile, said that Bangladesh was in need of more coconut trees, in addition to the 4,000 already sent by Bangkok, to be planted along river banks and seashores to help protect them from erosion.

Marisa Chimprabha

The Nation

Dhaka