The Honourable Dato’ Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Abdul Razak, Prime Minister of Malaysia will pay an official visit to the Kingdom of Thailand on 7 - 9 December 2009. This is the first time that Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Najib is making an official visit to Thailand since assuming office as Prime Minister of Malaysia and it is also the first time that Prime Minister Dato’Sri Najib and Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva are taking part in the Annual Consultation. During the visit, the Prime Minister of Malaysia will be accompanied by his spouse, Datin Sri Rosman Mansor.
On 8 December 2009, both Prime Ministers will co-chair the Fourth Annual Consultation at the Government House. The Consultation will provide both leaders and accompanying ministers from the Thai and Malaysian sides with a good opportunity to cultivate relations with each other, to review and follow-up on the progress made in the various areas of cooperation agreed during Prime Minister Abhisit’s Official Visit to Malaysia on 8 June 2009 as well as at the Second Joint Development Strategy Ministerial Meeting (JDS MM) and the 11th Joint Commission Meeting (JC), held during 13-14 August 2009 in Sabah, Kota Kinabalu. The Consultation will also allow both Prime Ministers to discuss ways and means to broaden and deepen the bilateral relations as well as cooperation between Thailand and Malaysia for the mutual benefits of the two countries and peoples.
Apart from the Annual Consultation, the two Prime Ministers are scheduled to visit Narathiwat Province on the 9 December 2009. This historical visit adds another milestone to the bilateral relations between Thailand and Malaysia for it is the first time that a Prime Minister of Malaysia is visiting the Southern Border Provinces of Thailand. In Narathiwat, both Prime Ministers will co-officiate the renaming ceremony of the “Second Bridge Across Golok River” to “Friendship Bridge” linking Ban Buketa, Narathiwat Province and Bukit Bunga, Kelantan State, witness the signing ceremony of the Agreement on the Management, Maintenance and Usage the Friendship Bridge and visit the Att Arkiah Islamiah Institute as well as the sufficiency economy village project of Ban Rotunbatu.
Thailand and Malaysia share close and cordial relations at every level and aspect. In March 2009, Their Majesties the Yang di-Pertuan Agong and the Raja Permaisuri Agong of Malaysia paid a State Visit to Thailand, as Guests of Their Majesties the King and Queen. Thailand and Malaysia are leading trading and investment partners. Malaysia is Thailand’s fourth trading partner while Thailand is the fifth of Malaysia. In 2008, the total trade between Thailand and Malaysia amounted to US$ 19.6 billion. In 2008, 1.8 million Malaysian tourists visited Thailand while 1.49 million Thai tourists visited Malaysia. The visit of Prime Minister Dato’ Sri Najib will mark another significant chapter in the longstanding relations between the two countries and peoples.
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