Spanish king, queen wrap state visit to Thailand

0 Comments | AFP, February, 2006

BANGKOK (AFP) — Spain's King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia wrapped up a three-day state visit to Thailand with accompanying business leaders pressing for contracts with a major Thai public works project.

The royal visit was to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the coronation of revered Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who at 78 is the world's longest-reigning monarch. The couple will leave the kingdom for Spain late Thursday.

Earlier in the day, the king attended a Thai-Spanish business forum and called on business leaders of both countries to expand bilateral trade.

"The level of bilateral trade is not what it should be," the king told the seminar.

Spanish-Thai trade reached 969.09 million euros (1.15 billion dollars) in 2005, according to the Spanish...