JEDDAH, 2 December 2003 — Thailand is hoping to normalize ties with the Kingdom after 13 years of strained diplomatic relations.
“We’re working hard on bringing normality back to our bilateral relations,” Thai Consul General Suvat Hanafi Chirapant told Arab News yesterday.
Relations deteriorated following the murder of three Saudi diplomats and a businessman in February 1990.
He said one indication of improving ties is the growth in the volume of bilateral trade. “Trade between the two countries has grown to $1.7 billion in the first 10 months of 2003 over $1.2 billion for the corresponding period last year,” he said. “Thai exports had increased by seven percent to $356 million and imports from the Kingdom rose by 49 percent to $1.4 billion during the first 10 months of the year.”
Oil forms 78 percent of Thai imports from the Kingdom, the rest being chemical products and fertilizers.
The consulate is celebrating the country’s National Day to mark the birthday of King Bhumibol Adulyadej on Thursday. The event is being held at the consulate premises in cooperation with the local Thai Assembly, an informal group of Thai expats in the Western Province. About 20,000 Thai expats remain in the Kingdom, 15,000 of them in the Western Province alone. The day will be marked by a blood donation drive in collaboration with the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center.
“The blood donation campaign here is a gesture of goodwill and appreciation toward the Kingdom from the community,” the consul general said.
He said 10,000 Thai pilgrims will perform Haj this season, up from 8,000 last February. An average of 1,000 Thais perform Umrah every year. “Our students have also been coming to pursue higher religious courses in Makkah, Madinah and Riyadh,” the consul general said.
“Our Muslim population is steadily increasing. Muslims roughly account for eight million of the country’s 63 million population,” he said.
