Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet visits Thailand with busy schedule to extend close ties

BANGKOK (AP) — Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet on Wednesday made his first official visit to neighboring Thailand since becoming his country’s leader last year, seeking to renew the close ties the two countries have maintained in recent times.

In addition to meeting with his Thai counterpart, Srettha Thavisin, Hun Manet presided over the signing of several documents on bilateral cooperation and was scheduled to have a royal audience with King Maha Vajiralongkorn and address a Thailand-Cambodia business forum.

Hun Manet’s scheduled one-day visit “is an important opportunity for both countries to further strengthen the bilateral cooperation, especially in the economic development of border areas, promotion of two-way trade and investment, closer transportation connectivity, tourism cooperation as well as fostering closer ties between the peoples of the two kingdoms,” the Thai Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

Cambodian government spokesperson Pen Bona said ahead of Hun Manet’s visit to Bangkok that it would reaffirm the close relationship for peace, development and cooperation established by his father and predecessor, Hun Sen. Hun Sen stepped down as prime minister last year after 38 years in power, including periods of tensions with Thailand, especially over territorial disputes.

A Thai government summary of the meeting said the two leaders agreed to enhance cooperation in the exploitation of oil and gas resources in the Gulf of Thailand, where the two countries have competing maritime territorial claims.

Human rights activists say their cooperation extends to the repression of political dissidents. Several Cambodian opposition figures and other government critics who fled to Thailand to escape arrest under Hun