Arroyo receives hero's welcome in Brunei capital

Arroyo receives hero's welcome in Brunei capital

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (Agencies): Philippine President Gloria
Macapagal Arroyo received a hero's welcome from expatriate
Filipino workers Wednesday as she arrived for a three-day visit
to Brunei.

Bringing plans for increased cooperation in defense and
maritime transport, Arroyo was officially received by members of
this oil-rich nation's royal family before receiving an audience
with Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah.

But she was also greeted at the airport by a 400-strong
gathering of Filipinos, who waved the country's flag, cheered her
and snapped photos. About 20,000 Filipinos live in this country
of 300,000 people.

Arroyo visited a garment factory in the port of Muara, where
several hundred Filipino textile workers, mostly women, crowded
around her.

Arroyo praised overseas Filipinos for contributing remittances
that help the country's foreign exchange and vowed that her
government would defend the welfare of expatriate workers.

"We are setting up more schools, building more houses and
introducing more and more welfare activities, and there is no
cause for worry for you," Arroyo said.

Meanwhile, Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra arrived in
Singapore on Wednesday for an official two-day visit expected to
focus on bilateral and regional issues.

Thaksin was welcomed by Singapore's Prime Minister Goh Chok
Tong at the Istana state complex, where the leaders inspected a
guard of honor.

Singapore and Thailand said on Wednesday they will work to
help regional group ASEAN regain its position as a major area of
investment and trade in the world.

Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong met his Thai counterpart Thaksin
Shinawatra on Wednesday.

Talks centered on strengthening already strong trade links
between the two countries, boosting Singapore investment in
Thailand, and lending more support to the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

"Singapore and Thailand will work together to strengthen
bilateral ties and reinvigorate ASEAN," Goh said in a speech to
mark the Thai premier's visit.

Goh said the standing of ASEAN had diminished since the 1997
regional crisis and the organization had also suffered as member
countries dealt with economic and political difficulties, the
emergence of China, and the current economy slowdown.

The two leaders agreed to narrow the development gap between
members of the grouping and to facilitate the integration of its
newer members.

Thaksin's visit to Singapore precedes that of Philippines
president Gloria Macapagal Arroyo who arrives for a three-day
visit on Friday and Indonesia's President Megawati Soekarnoputri
who arrives for a two-day stay on Sunday.