The Vietnam News Agency (VNA) and the Public Relations Department (PRD)of Thailand have vowed to enhance the exchange of information on theirrespective country’s preparations for ASEAN integration by the end of2015.

The consensus was reached by VNA Deputy Director GeneralLe Duy Truyen and PRD Deputy Director General Paitoon Hiranpradith atthe 11th Joint Technical Committee (JTC) meeting in Hanoi on July 21.

Thetwo sides reviewed the results of implementation of their Memorandum ofUnderstanding (MoU) on cooperation in information and news exchange anddiscussed measures to improve their coordination in the future.

PRDproposed VNA Bangkok-based bureau train PRD reporters in the Vietnameselanguage. The proposed course will last at least 30 hours, enablingthem to communicate in basic Vietnamese.

Deputy Director General Truyen agreed in principle on PRD’s proposal.

VNA is in the process of working out its development strategy until2020 with a vision to 2030, Truyen said, adding that he hopes PRD willshare its assessment and forecast of media development in the future,particularly in the aspects of radio service and social media.

“Iam confident that PRD professional experiences will be very useful forVNA in the course of mapping out its development strategy and we willalso work out measures to take VNA – PRD ongoing projects to a newheight of efficiency”, Truyen noted.

Paitoon Hiranpradith, forhis part, noted with pleasure that since the 10th Bangkok JTC meeting inAugust 2013, VNA – PRD cooperation has become comprehensive.

Concluding the meeting, both sides signed a letter of transmittal for the 2014-2015 period.

The 12th JTC meeting will be held in Bangkok in May 2015.-VNA