Surayud, a former Army chief respected for his "good soldier" image, will visit New Delhi next Monday on a three-day visit that is likely to see the completion of the FTA. Thailand is home to nearly 100,000 Indians.

New Delhi has shown pragmatism in dealing with the military's removal of the democratically elected government led by Thaksin Shinawatra and has not allowed Thailand's political situation to affect the pace of its growing economic engagement with an important Asean country.

Surayud will meet Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, chairperson of the ruling coalition Sonia Gandhi and Commerce Minister Kamal Nath.

They will discuss a host of bilateral, regional and global issues, including intensification of trade and investment and issues related to Asean and the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec).

The focus will be on wrapping up FTA negotiations that could lead to a quantum jump in trade worth US$2.2 billion (Bt76.23 billion) between the countries. The Thai government also plans to open trade offices in Delhi and Calcutta.

Surayud's visit will be shortly after India's Mukherjee returns from a visit to Indonesia and Singapore, key Asean countries.

Time magazine has hailed Surayud as one of its "Asian heroes", praising him as "the most important Thai military figure of the modern era" and pivotal in changing the military's public image into that of a modern, accountable professional organisation.

At the time of the Thai coup, India reacted cautiously, saying it had taken note of the commitment of the military to return power to the people.

India's links with Thailand have been reinforced by its burgeoning relationship with Asean, the formation of Bimstec and the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation.