วันเสาร์ที่ 26 กุมภาพันธ์ 2565
Thailand-Malaysia affirm commitment to promote border cooperation and economic development for benefits of people
Thailand-Malaysia affirm commitment to promote border cooperation and economic development for benefits of people
Thailand-Malaysia affirm commitment to promote border cooperation and economic development for benefits of people
February 25, 2022, at 1700hrs, at the Government House, Prime Minister and Defense Minister Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha welcomed the Honourable Dato’ Sri Ismail Sabri Yaakob, Prime Minister of Malaysia on occasion of the Malaysian Prime Minister’s official visit to Thailand.
The official welcoming ceremony was held with the review of honor guards at the lawn in front of Thai Khu Fah Building, followed by the Malaysian Prime Minister’s signing of the Government’s guest book and viewing of the display of gifts from both sides.
The Thai and Malaysian Prime Ministers, then, discussed issues of mutual concern.
The bilateral meeting was participated by the Thai delegation, comprising Deputy Prime Minister Gen. Prawit Wongsuwon, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Don Pramudwinai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce Jurin Laksanawisit, Minister of Finance Arkhom Termpittayapaisith, Minister of Culture Itthiphol Kunplome, Prime Minister’s Secretary-General Dissathat Hotrakit, and Secretary-General of the National Security Council Gen. Supoj Malaniyom; and the Malaysian delegation, comprising Minister of Foreign Affairs Dato’ Saifuddin Abdullah, Senior Minister Minister of International Trade & Industry Dato’ Seri Mohamed Azmin bin Ali, Deputy Minister of Federal Territories YB Datuk Seri Jalaluddin Alias, Chairman for the Rubber Industry Smallholders Development Authority (RISDA) YB Datuk Seri Hj. Mohd Salim Mohd Sharif, Prime Minister’s Secretary-General YBhg. Dato’ Nor Nazimah binti Hashim, and Deputy Secretary General, Bilateral Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dato' Amran Mohamed Zin.
Government Spokesperson Thanakorn Wangboonkongchana disclosed gist of the meeting as follows:
The Prime Minister welcomed Dato’ Sri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and the delegation on his official visit to Thailand, and expressed pleasure and honor for the bilateral meeting. Thailand and Malaysia are close and immediate neighbors with the cooperation in wide-ranging areas. This official visit of the Malaysian Prime Minister would reinvigorate the two sides to propel cooperation and move forward ASEAN in a strong manner. In the earlier constituency meetings, Thailand and Malaysia exchanged views on cooperation reinforcement in all dimensions, on which concerned agencies of the two countries would further liaise so that Thailand-Malaysia cooperation can be driven to achieve tangible results.
The Malaysian Prime Minister expressed pleasure to have officially visited Thailand, and thanked the country for the warm welcome. The meeting today would enhance relations between the two countries on the basis of brotherhood and the long history of Thailand-Malaysia relations, as well as sustainable economic cooperation. He expressed hope that relations and cooperation between the two sides would further advance into the future.
Thailand and Malaysia came to terms on the similarity of their national administration policy. The Prime Minister commended the "Keluarga Malaysia" (Malaysian Family) concept which aims to put aside differences through inclusivity, common ground, and contentment. The concept is in line with Thailand’s policy to move the country forward without leaving anyone behind while striving to promote stability, prosperity, and sustainability. He hopes that Thailand and Malaysia would take forward and advance mutual cooperation to ensure wellbeing of the people of the two countries.
With regards to reconnecting the connectivity, both parties agreed to expedite pending infrastructure and connectivity projects along the borders, and promote cross-border travel. The Prime Minister affirmed the Thai people’s eagerness to welcome Malaysian travelers to Thailand under safe public health measures. He hoped that cross-border mobility of Thai and Malaysian people could be promoted through two-way quarantine-free travels between the two countries for fully vaccinated travelers. The Malaysian Prime Minister agreed upon further discussion on the opening of border checkpoints to facilitate continuous transportation flow of goods and promote border trade and transit trade. He also agreed to consider two-way quarantine-free travels between the two countries.
On public health cooperation, the Prime Minister thanked Malaysia for facilitating repatriation of the Thai people during the COVID-19 pandemic, and hoped for the exchange of cooperation on COVID-19 situation administration, and vaccine research and development. The Malaysian Prime Minister was pleased to learn about COVID-19 vaccine R&D cooperation between Thailand and Malaysia, and hoped for further discussion on accepting digital vaccination certificate for traveling into each other’s countries.
With regard to border security and the Southern Border Provinces (SBPs) situation, Thailand acknowledged Malaysia’s purview as facilitator in Thailand’s efforts to solve the situation through peace dialogue on the basis of mutual trust. Both Prime Ministers also affirmed commitment to closely cooperate on strengthening border security, preventing and suppressing transnational crimes and other illegal cross-border activities, along with promoting economic development for the benefits of the two peoples.