BANGKOK, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said on Sunday that Brunei is keen to buy more jasmine rice from Thailand after returning from her official visit to Brunei as part of her ASEAN tour, state-run media MCOT reported.

Brunei is the first nation the premier made official overseas trip since assuming office last month.

Yingluck paid a courtesy call on Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah at his palace to introduce herself as Thailand's new prime minister Saturday evening before attending a state banquet hosted by the sultan.

According to Yingluck, the Sultan of Brunei expressed interest in Thai jasmine rice and told her that Brunei was ready to import more.

The prime minister returned to Thailand early Sunday morning. On Monday she is scheduled to visit Indonesia, the current chairman of ASEAN, and then go to neighboring Phnom Penh on Thursday and Vientiane on Friday respectively.

September 11, 2011

Source: Xinhua News