Thailand's PM Seeks Closer Cooperation with Malaysia in Official Visit

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 17 (TNA) - Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra emphasized strengthening bilateral relations during an official two-day visit to Malaysia from December 15-16, 2024, focusing on deepening cooperation across four key areas.

In the 7th annual Thailand-Malaysia bilateral meeting, the Thai leader highlighted the long-standing and close friendship between the two nations, pledging to advance collaborative efforts in food security, trade, investment, tourism, and regional stability.

The visit includes a commitment to establish joint working groups to address critical bilateral issues, with particular emphasis on long-term flood prevention measures. The Thai government has tasked the National Water Resources Office to collaborate with Malaysian counterparts on comprehensive flood management strategies.

A notable development emerged during the visit, with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim appointing former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra as an informal advisor for the upcoming ASEAN presidency in 2025.

Paetongtarn confirmed the appointment, saying the advisor role is expected to facilitate closer regional coordination and intellectual collaboration among ASEAN nations.

Asked about peace dialogue for Southern Thailand, she said preliminary discussions suggest a potential meeting with the Malaysian prime minister in February or March in Thailand to advance the peace process. -819 (TNA)