Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim Meets Up with Thailand Deputy Prime Minister

By: Michelle Liew

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim received a courtesy visit from the Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand, Gen Prawit Wongsuwan, today at his official residence in Seri Perdana, here.

Prawit's special visit to Malaysia was accompanied by Thailand's Deputy Defense Minister, Gen Chaichan Changmongkol.

When Prawit and his delegation arrived at Seri Perdana at about 12 noon, Anwar was greeted by Defense Minister, Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan and Home Minister, Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

Immediately after arriving, Anwar and Prawit held a discussion for almost two hours, which, among other things, touched on the incident of a bomb explosion that caused a goods train traveling from Hatyai to Padang Besar to derail, on Dec 6.

After the discussion, Anwar celebrated Prawit and his delegation at a luncheon before the Thai Deputy Prime Minister left for Thailand this afternoon.

Prawit and his delegation arrived at Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport, Subang at 11 this morning for a one-day special visit to Malaysia.

The visit, which among other things aims to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries as well as exchange views and share information for the good of the region, is Prawit's second visit to Malaysia since the country's border gates reopened last April, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Prawit's first time to this country was last May to attend the 55th General Boundary Committee Meeting between Malaysia and Thailand in Kuala Lumpur.

Malaysia and Thailand have had diplomatic relations for 65 years since Malaysia achieved independence in 1957.

Thailand is Malaysia's sixth largest trading partner in the world and the second largest in the ASEAN region, while Malaysia remains Thailand's fourth largest trading partner in the world.