Prayut set to fly out to Beijing and Nay Pyi Taw

Ministers in his Cabinet, including Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Tanasak Patimapragorn and Commerce Minister Chatchai Sarikulya, will accompany the delegation and attend respective panel discussions at the three-day event.

Leaders attending Apec – a grouping of 21 countries – include US President Barack Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Held under the theme “Shaping the Future Through Asia-Pacific Partnership”, the leaders will discuss key issues in a bid to forge economic cooperation including regional integration, innovation for growth and regional connectivity.

Prime Minister Prayut will deliver a speech on supporting cooperation for economic integration, growth and connectivity, according to an official at the Foreign Ministry. The official said Prayut would also attend panel discussions and hold bilateral meetings with leaders from countries including China and Asean members such as the Philippines and Brunei.

He would also meet with members of the Thai business community in China as well as Chinese executives whose companies have investments in Thailand or are interested in investing, the official said.

It has been reported that the Thai delegation would reach a deal with Chinese leaders on the development of a rail system in Thailand and the purchase of rice.

After the summit, Prayut will fly directly to Myanmar’s capital Nay Pyi Taw to attend the Asean summit, which most leaders from Apec will also join, on Wednesday and Thursday. It will be the first Asean summit for Prayut, who took power after the May 22 coup. 

Asean leaders will discuss issues that include a post-2015 vision of the group after the Asean Economic Community begins at the end of next year. 

Thailand took a key role in preparing a concept paper for the post-2015 vision, which includes a proposal to make Asean a people-caring organisation.

Conflicts in the South China Sea will be a hot issue as Asean members such as the Philippines and Vietnam have territorial disputes with giant neighbour China. Leaders will also discuss Asean’s role and plan to handle non-traditional security threats such as natural disasters, transnational crimes, trafficking in humans and narcotics, and terrorism.