Thai PM ends landmark Sri Lanka trip

Monday, 3 June 2013 02:10 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Thailand’s Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra visited a Buddhist temple in Colombo on Saturday (June 1), wrapping up her two-day visit to Sri Lanka.

She took part in religious rites at the Deepaduthamarama temple and was greeted outside by schoolchildren.

On Friday (May 31) Yingluck visited another temple in Kandy, one of holiest for the world’s Buddhists. She was shown around the centuries-old Temple of the Tooth which Buddhists believe contains a relic of a tooth of Buddha.

Afterwards she was hosted at an official dinner by Sir Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa at this official residence in Kandy attended by senior ministers and officials. That was followed by a cultural show featuring traditional dancers.

Earlier, the two governments signed four bilateral agreements covering cooperation on tourism, science and technology, a sister cities partnership between Kandy and Ayutthaya and a visa exemption for officials and diplomatic passport holders.

The Thai leader also addressed the island nation’s parliament, only the third foreign leader to do so. The first was former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Thaksin Shinwatra, a former Thai prime minister and brother of the current leader.

Yingluck is due to travel next to the Maldives for talks with President Mohammed Waheed before returning home on Monday (June 3).