MANILA, March 22 -- Thailand is hoping to sign within the year a tourism deal with the Philippines that would jumpstart the "two-country, one-destination" initiative, its top diplomat in the Philippines said Friday.

Under the concept, the two governments will ramp up promotions and encourage foreign tourists visiting either of the two states to have the Philippines or Thailand as their second stop.

In an interview on the sidelines of the Foreign Service Institute (FSI) Ambassadors' Lecture Series, Thailand Ambassador Tull Traisorat said the document could be signed by June during the Philippine-Thailand tourism ministerial meeting or "even before if there's a high-level visit".

"The two-country, one-destination concept is reflected in ...