Thailand hosts ASEAN meeting

Thailand hosts ASEAN meeting

BANGKOK (AFP): Thailand's cabinet approved on Tuesday a
proposal to host an ASEAN Finance Ministers meeting from February
28-March 1, a government spokesman said.

"This is the first time ASEAN countries will hold a Finance
Ministers Meeting," MP Varathep Ratanakorn said.

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members agreed
to the meetings in principle at the Asia Pacific Economic
Cooperation summit in Osaka in November of 1995, Varathep said.

The focus of the meeting -- to be held on the southern Thai
resort island of Phuket -- would be the banking sector, while
money and capital markets, tariffs and the insurance sector would
also be on the agenda.

ASEAN groups Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines,
Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.