BANGKOK, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Friday flew form the military airport at 9:15 a.m. to Laos for an official visit at the invitation of Lao PM Bouasone Bouphavanh.

    The visit is aimed to strengthen bilateral relations and cooperation on energy and electricity, trade and investment, transport network development and Lao labors to work in Thailand, according to a statement issued by the Thai Foreign Ministry.

    The Thai Premier will pay a courtesy call on Thongsing Thammavong, President of the Lao National Assembly and also he will meet Thai investors in Vientiane before returning to Bangkok in evening on Friday.

    Thailand is presently Laos' leading trading partner with bilateral trade reaching 60 billion baht (1.7 billion US dollars) in 2007 and also a major foreign investor in Laos with 1.3 billion U.S. dollars of investment during 2001-2008.

    Among the Thai premier's entourages are Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya and Army chief General Anupong Paochinda.