No worries Down Under
Australia and the international community are not overly fussed about the new Thai constitution but hope the general election will be held as soon as possible, Thai Ambassador to Canberra Bandhit Sotipalalit was reported yesterday as saying.
"Australian authorities are not concerned about our new constitution although they want to know the timetable for elections," he said in an interview with the Thai News Agency.Bandhit said the image of Thailand had improved in the eyes of foreigners after Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont announced that the election would take place by the end of the year. He said his embassy and the Foreign Ministry were ready to assist the Election Commission so that Thai expatriates could cast votes. In regard to Thai-Australian relations, he said bilateral ties remained unchanged following the September coup. Bandhit highlighted a recent agreement to boost military ties as proof of the unwavering friendship between the two countries. He said bilateral trade had increased 18 per cent last year, with Thailand enjoying a surplus worth 700 million Australian dollars (Bt20.2 billion). Australia is the eighth-largest market for Thai exports.
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