11.   He and his wife escorted Thai officials who met World Bank and US government officials in Washington.

12.   He also said he plans to meet with Thai officials this week, though he declined to comment on any Bank of Japan plans to aid Thailand.

13.   He said the country should first listen to what Thai officials have to say.

14.   He will lead a group of Thai officials to the U.S. in the second week of April to promote the sale.

15.   However, Kockums has been accused of trying to bribe Thai officials.

16.   In Asia, a Thai official recalled, the two men were pushing on an open door.

17.   Now it is the women themselves who have become a valuable commodity, both for their own communities and for the Thai officials and tour operators who exploit them.

18.   Other Thai officials were still at the meeting.

19.   Rubin made no promises, repeating a formulation used by Deputy Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers after meetings with Thai officials last week in Bangkok.

20.   Summers is now Bangkok for meetings Wednesday with Thai officials.