Special report: Army coup in Thailand

Thai Prime Minister, Surayud Chulanont (L) stands with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen at Phnom Penh International Airport on Oct. 15, 2006. Chulanont arrived here Sunday on the second leg of his weekend tour, which is widely believed to beef up ties with Thailand's neighboring countries and reassure them that his one-year term will be stable. (Xinhua Photo) Photo Gallery >>>

    BANGKOK, Oct. 15 (Xinhua) -- Thai Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont left Bangkok Sunday for a one-day visit and talks with Cambodian leaders to bolster bilateral ties and to assure Phnom Penh that his interim government will continue to adhere to the previous government's policy of economic and political cooperation with the neighbor country, Thai News Agency reported.

    Surayud, who came to power after a bloodless military coup toppled the government of prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra on Sept. 19, is scheduled to confer with his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen and Senate Speaker Chea Sim on political changes in Thailand as well as reaffirm Thai pledges to carry out projects agreed earlier between the two countries.

    On Saturday, Surayud and his retinue, including Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Pridiyathorn Devakula and Foreign Minister Nitya Pibulsonggram, visited another neighbor Laos as the new PM's international debut after he was royally appointed two weeks ago.

    Surayud also plans to visit Malaysia on Wednesday and hold talks with his Malaysian counterpart Abdullah Badawi. Enditem