Malaysia, Thailand to move together towards new decade of closer ties

BANGKOK, October 25 (TNA) - Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha says that Bangkok is pleased to move towards a new decade of closer ties and cooperation comprehensively with Kuala Lumpur. The Thai prime minister made the remarks after welcoming and meeting with his Malaysian counterpart Tun Dr. Mahathir bin Mohamad at Bangkok's Government House on October 24. The Thai premier told journalists that his administration is pleased and honored to welcome his Malaysian counterpart and his spouse, Tun Dr. Siti Hasmah binti Haji Mohamad Ali, who are paying a two-day official visit to Thailand, scheduled for October 24-25, as the guest of his government. "Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok experienced best bilateral relations during the previous tenure of Tun Dr. Mahathir, from 1981 to 2003, and Thailand is pleased to have a good opportunity now to work together with Malaysia under the leadership of Tun Dr. Mahathir again to jointly move towards a new decade of concrete and closer ties and cooperation in multi-areas at all levels", acknowledged the Thai leader. The Thai prime minister stated that he has discussed in details with his Malaysian counterpart in three major issues, including bilateral cooperation on the solution to the problem of violent unrest in the Thai Far South and on security along the common border, as well as on economic development and enhanced connectivity along border areas of both neighboring countries and on co-support to further strengthen the people-centered Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), in which both sides are member countries, as Thailand will alternately play the role of the chairmanship of the 10-member bloc next year and wants the ASEAN Community (AC) to be successfully tolerable to regional and global challenges. According to the Thai leader, Malaysia's key role as facilitator and co-ordinator in the ongoing peace negotiation process between representatives of the Thai government and insurgent groups in the internal violent problem in the Thai Deep South will be carried on based on the framework of the Thai Constitution and both countries have agreed to expand their cooperation on security along the common border to cover anti-terrorism and extremism, as well as anti-drug and human trafficking and other types of transnational crime. Besides, both neighboring countries plan to upgrade their economic cooperation to be bilateral strategic economic partnership towards mutual prosperity, security and sustainable development for peace and well-being of the Malaysian and the Thai people in the long run, with details of the agreed move to be discussed at a joint ministerial meeting set early next year. (TNA)