SBY to visit Malaysia, Thailand

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is set to depart on a week-long overseas trip.

The trip, starting Sunday, will take the President to Malaysia and Thailand.

In Malaysia, the President's main agenda is to attend the 11th ASEAN Summit and the East Asia Summit, which brings together for the first time leaders from the 10 ASEAN countries, China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and India.

"The President is also scheduled to deliver a keynote presentation during the 3rd ASEAN Business and Investment Forum- Special Dialog," presidential spokesman Dino Patti Djalal said on Friday.

On the sidelines of his Malaysian outing, Susilo is also slated to hold bilateral meetings with a number of heads of government, including Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi, Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai, New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark and Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jia Bao.

After spending three days in Kuala Lumpur, the President and his entourage will fly to Thailand for an official trip, during which he will hold talks with Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and pay a visit to Thai King Bhumibol Adulyajed.

The President is expected to witness the signing of several memorandums of understanding between Indonesia and Thailand, including on agriculture cooperation. He will also meet a number of top executives of major companies in Thailand.

A holder of a doctorate degree in agro-economics, Susilo will bring home the title of honoris causa doctorate degree in politics from Bangkok-based Thammasat University.