Hungary hails Thailand’s independence, pledges closer cooperation

Hungarian Parliament Speaker László Kövér met with Wan Muhamad Noor Matha, President of the Thai Parliament and the King Prajadhipok’s Institute, in Budapest on Tuesday at 11am local time, during Wan Noor’s official visit to Hungary.

The hour-long meeting took place in a warm and friendly atmosphere. Kövér praised Thailand for being the only country in the region to preserve its independence, noting that this reflects values cherished by Hungarians — independence, cultural preservation rooted in a thousand-year history, and a commitment to peace and non-violence.

He also expressed support for the recent peace accord between Thailand and Cambodia, and pledged to work with Thailand on trade, investment, tourism, the suppression of scammers, and cross-border crimes, especially drug trafficking.

As one of the eight founding members of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), Hungary backed Thailand’s resolution on these issues during the IPU’s 151st Assembly in October. 

Kövér further promised Hungary’s support for Thailand’s Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations with the European Union and its bid to join the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

Wan Noor thanked his Hungarian counterpart for the warm welcome and expressed admiration for Hungary’s stance on sovereignty and cultural preservation. He also voiced understanding of Hungary’s migration policies and affirmed Thailand’s support for closer cooperation in all areas.

Promoting Thai culture: food, Muay Thai, and traditional massage

During the talks, Wan Noor encouraged Hungary to promote Thai cuisine and Muay Thai, joking that only men should train in the martial art to avoid “domestic disputes” — a remark that drew laughter from the meeting room.

He also invited Hungary to support traditional Thai massage, noting its health benefits for ageing societies. Wan Noor said the Thai Parliament even offers massage services for members during breaks, though demand often exceeds the number of available therapists. In Thailand, parliamentary members can reimburse the cost of traditional massages as part of a health allowance.

Following the discussion, both sides held a joint press conference where Kövér reaffirmed Hungary’s commitment to deepening ties with Thailand under its “Look East” policy, describing Thailand as Hungary’s closest partner in Southeast Asia. He also pledged support for promoting Thai food, Muay Thai, and traditional massage in Hungary.

At the close of the conference, Wan Noor — a former transport minister — vowed to push for a direct flight between Bangkok and Budapest to strengthen trade, investment, and tourism. 

He also wished Kövér’s ruling party success in next April’s elections, adding with a smile that he looked forward to flying on the new route to visit Thailand.

The entire ceremony took place at Hungary’s Parliament Building, a landmark on the banks of the Danube River — widely regarded as one of the most magnificent and architecturally stunning parliament buildings in the world. Since the end of the Covid-19 pandemic, it has welcomed more than 700,000 visitors.