On 1 June 2012, Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul met with Foreign Minister Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmed Bin Mohamed Al Khalifa of Bahrain on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum on East Asia (WEF). In this regard, Foreign Minister Surapong expressed his deep thanks to the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Bahrain for their participation at the WEF. He also expressed the agreement with the Bahraini Prime Minister on the importance of inter-regional connectivity. On his part, Bahrain stands ready to cooperate with ASEAN, both within the frameworks of ASEAN-Bahrain and ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council (ASEAN-GCC), and Bahrain will host the ASEAN-GCC meeting at the earliest opportunity.
On the bilateral relations between the two countries, both Thailand and Bahrain concurred that Thailand will host the Second High Joint Commission (HJC) in October 2012. There will also be a meeting between Thai and Bahraini businesses in parallel with the HJC meeting and the signing of pending Agreements / Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) between each other.
On trade and investment, both sides agreed to set up a steering committee to discuss the MOU on the Establishment of Thailand Food Security Stockpile and Distribution Centre, signed in March 2010 and the MOU on Cooperation in Food Security, Trade and Investment in Agricultural Products and Commodities, in Particular Halal Food, signed in May 2012.
For further information, please contact the Press Division, Department of Information, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tel.02-6435170, Fax.02-6435169, E-mail: div0704@mfa.go.th