Don says visit to Saudi Arabia ‘successful’
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai said his trip to Saudi Arabia with a delegation of state officials and business operators was a success.
Speaking to reporters upon his return, Don said he regarded his official visit to Saudi Arabia a success because the trip proved to the Middle East nation that Bangkok could be a good ally while both countries can be strong economic and trade partners.
The trip followed Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s official visit to Saudi Arabia in January to normalise ties after three decades of sour relations.
“We started with the visit [to Saudi Arabia] by the prime minister. We must join hands to make all subsequent road maps and activities a sustainable partnership and have quality ties with the country,” Don said, “so Thailand’s role can be upgraded from just a provider of workers”.
The minister said he also held talks on the feritiliser shortage in the country and high-level Saudi officials pledged to support Thailand.
Don said the officials and business operators who accompanied him on the trip are highly qualified, so they “impressed” the Middle East country.
The delegation prompted Saudi Arabia to want to pursue cooperation with Thailand on a variety of issues, Don added.
He said the Saudi government told him it did not want to see Thai-Saudi relations dipping lower than those at present.
Saudi Arabian Investment Minister Khalid Abdulaziz Al-Falih flew from Riyadh to see off Don at Jeddah airport as the Thai minister ended his official visit to the Gulf nation.
