Thailand, India to talk FTA

Agence France Presse

New Delhi, June 3:

Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra arrived in the Indian capital on Friday for talks on a free trade agreement and civil aviation liberalisation. Thaksin was to meet Indian education minister Arjun Singh before talks with prime minister Manmohan Singh in the evening. Last year, India and Thailand signed a protocol to eliminate tariffs on 82 goods by 2006 as a first step toward a free trade agreement the two countries hope will be in place by 2010. On Saturday, Thaksin was due to head to the Bhutanese city of Paro for talks with the leadership there, the official said. Thaksin was scheduled on Sunday to have a royal audience with Bhutanese King Jigme Singye Wangchuck at Tashiehhodzong palace.