BANGKOK: Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s trip to Saudi Arabia — Thailand’s first top leadership visit to the Kingdom in three decades — is expected to promote bilateral relations, the Thai government said on Monday.
The Thai prime minister is scheduled to arrive in Riyadh for a two-day visit on Tuesday, at the invitation of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
“The prime minister is scheduled to have an audience and discuss with the crown prince (ways) to strengthen and promote bilateral relations,” Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana, spokesperson for the Thai government, said during a media briefing.
“This visit is the (first) government leader-level visit of the two countries … in more than 30 years.”
He added that on his Saudi Arabia trip, the prime minister will be accompanied by the deputy prime minister, foreign minister, energy minister and labor minister.
The Saudi foreign ministry said on Sunday the visit follows “consultations that resulted in convergence of views on various issues of common concern.”
Dr. Sarawut Aree, director of the Muslim Studies Center at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, told Arab News that normalization of bilateral ties would allow Thailand to again send workers to the Gulf state.
“Thailand definitely wants to normalize the diplomatic relation,” he said. “Thailand sent more than 200,000 laborers to Saudi Arabia each year when they had good relations, and now Saudi Arabia is driving Vision 2030 that focuses on economic (development) and infrastructure with less reliance on oil. So, Thailand can see the opportunity for laborers in Saudi Arabia.”
Aree added that the prime minister’s trip was “like a signal or a formal protocol that will make the improvement of the relationship more concrete.”
Thailand seeks to foster ties with Saudi Arabia during PM’s Riyadh visit
https://arab.news/2v2ww
Thailand seeks to foster ties with Saudi Arabia during PM’s Riyadh visit
- Thai prime minister is scheduled to arrive in Riyadh for a two-day visit on Tuesday
- He will be accompanied by the deputy prime minister, foreign minister, energy minister and labor minister
Crown prince, US president discuss regional escalation in phone call
- Trump expressed Washington's condemnation of the blatant missile attacks against the Kingdom
- The crown prince also discussed the ongoing military escalation in a separate call with the president of Syria
RIYADH: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received a telephone call on Saturday from US President Donald Trump, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Trump expressed Washington's condemnation of the blatant missile attacks against the Kingdom, which were intercepted by the Kingdom's air defenses.
He affirmed US support for the Kingdom and its backing of all measures taken by the Kingdom to confront these Iranian violations that undermine the security and stability of the region, SPA added.
In a separate call, Crown Prince Mohammed and Syrian President Ahmed Al-Sharaa discussed the ongoing military escalation in the region.
Al-Sharaa affirmed his country’s support for and solidarity with the Kingdom, SPA said in another report.
The Syrian president emphasized his country’s. rejection of any violation of the Kingdom’s sovereignty or any threat to its security and stability.
The crown prince also separately received calls from the Ruler of Oman, Sultan of Oman Haitham bin Tariq, and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and discussed developments in the region amid Iran’s military escalation that targeted the Kingdom and other Gulf countries, SPA reported.
