By: Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Prime Minister of Malaysia
Venue: Bangkok, Thailand
Date: 02/12/2007
Speech at the Official Dinner Hosted by His Excellency General Surayud Chulanont, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand
His Excellency General Surayud Chulanont Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand
Excellencies,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Allow me first of all to express my sincere thanks to His Excellency Prime Minister General Surayud Chulanont for the warm welcome he has extended to me and members of my delegation since our arrival in Thailand. Your Excellency, we truly appreciate the generous hospitality that you and the Royal Thai Government have provided for us.
2. Before this visit, I have had several opportunities of exchanging views with Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont on various matters of mutual interest, particularly on ways and means of enhancing the substance and other aspects of the relations between Malaysia and Thailand. These included our meeting during the Prime Minister's working visit to Malaysia on 18 October 2006 last year, and other conversations we had on the sidelines of recent regional meetings in Naning, Hanoi and Cebu. Your Excellency, I am therefore very pleased that I am able to meet with you again so soon after we last met, this time in Thailand itself.
3. May I also take this opportunity to express my deepest gratitude to His Majesty King Bhumipol Adulyadej for granting me an audience earlier this afternoon at the magnificent Dusit Palace.
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
4. This year 2007, we celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations between Malaysia and Thailand. We look forward to holding various events to celebrate this 50th anniversary of our relations as well as the 50th anniversary of Malaysia's independence. As an immediate neighbour, Malaysia is fully committed to forging ever stronger relations with Thailand for the next 50 years and more.
5. I am delighted that we had a very productive round of discussions today. We have identified ways of improving the existing close and friendly relations between our two countries. We have expressed determination to cooperate further and bring mutual benefits to our two countries and peoples. We have agreed to intensify cooperation in projects and schemes which are already ongoing, covering not only the political and security fields but also other areas especially the economic sectors. We must work closely together to strengthen our collaboration under the umbrella of the Joint Development Strategy (JDS). We must also press ahead to expand activities in the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT).
6. We are aware that since taking office about four months ago, Your Excellency and members of your government have made strenuous efforts to improve the political situation in your country. We in Malaysia view with admiration the steps you have taken to promote national reconciliation and establish peace and stability in every part of Thailand. I am confident that these efforts of yours will bear fruit and bring benefits not only to the people of Thailand but also to their neighbours in Southeast Asia. In particular, we are aware of the fresh initiatives being undertaken by the Government to address the delicate situation in Southern Thailand. In this regard, Malaysia stands ready to extend its cooperation to Thailand.
7. As Your Excellency is aware, we already have in place various mechanisms to promote cooperation in the border areas. Among the latest is the Malaysia-Thailand Committee on Joint Development Strategy (JDS) for the Border Areas established in August 2004. The primary purpose of the JDS is to develop the economy and livelihood of the people living in the common border areas between our two countries. Some progress have been made in infrastructure development and human resources training. Both sides should spare no effort in identifying more programmes and projects which can bring peace, stability and prosperity to the border areas. This can include projects and activities to be undertaken under the IMT-GT scheme involving not only Thailand and Malaysia but also Indonesia.
8 Malaysia and Thailand must also continue our close cooperation in the context of ASEAN. Our two countries were among the five pioneer members of ASEAN when the Bangkok Declaration was signed in this city in 1967. Of course, ASEAN has since grown in size encompassing ten member countries. Both Malaysia and Thailand, together with the other ASEAN countries, need to remain focused on achieving the common mission of fostering greater regional integration based on our common values, perceptions and outlook. Much can be accomplished if we succeed in adopting an ASEAN Charter at the next ASEAN Summit.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
9. On that note, may I once again express my sincere thanks and appreciation to His Excellency Prime Minister General Surayud Chulanont and the Royal Thai Government for this wonderful dinner, for the warm welcome and generous hospitality extended to us during our stay in Phuket yesterday, and now in this enchanting capital city of Bangkok.
Excellencies,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,
10. May I invite all of you to also join me in a toast for the excellent health, happiness and prosperity of His Excellency Prime Minister Surayudh Chulanont and to the existing and future friendly relations between the Government and people of Malaysia and the Government and people of the Kingdom of Thailand.
Thank you.
