Paetongtarn to visit Malaysia to boost ties, trade

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra will visit Malaysia next month in a bid to further strengthen ties and boost trade while also working on improving border security.
Deputy Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Thursday after Malaysian ambassador, Datuk Jojie Samuel, wrapped up a farewell visit that they discussed issues along the southern border that require further cooperation, along with other topics including measures to increase economic value, transportation and safety.
“Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra is scheduled to visit Malaysia in December, and she is confident border management must be discussed to see greater benefits for both countries,” said Mr Anutin, who is also the Interior Minister.
There will also be discussions on the construction of the second friendship bridge over the Sungai Kolok River in the eponymous district of Narathiwat province and Rantau Panjang in Malaysia to facilitate logistics and tourism, Mr Anutin said.
In related news, Justice Minister Tawee Sodsong led representatives from Thailand including Lada Phumas, Ambassador of Thailand to Malaysia, Suriyapong Tubtimtae, director of the Arbitration Institute, and a delegation to attend the “Kuala Lumpur Forum on International Arbitration 2024: The Future of International Arbitration — Reforms and Innovations in Malaysia”.
Thai delegates joined the forum at the invitation of Azalina Othman Said, Minister of Malaysian Prime Minister’s Department on Legal and Institute Revolution, who served as the forum’s chairman.
The goal was to exchange knowledge on effective international arbitration models, develop innovations to support arbitration work and establish networks to advance arbitration work in the Southeast Asian region, said the minister.
He had a discussion with Ms Said who also expressed Malaysia’s readiness to be a leader in arbitration in the region and cooperate with Thailand in developing arbitration work to prepare for the era of “digital justice”.
Afterwards, the Minister of Justice and his delegation met with Tan Sri Dato’ Johari Abdul, the Speaker of the Malaysian House of Representatives, at the Malaysian parliament.
They discussed ways to strengthen cooperation between the Thai and Malaysian parliaments, such as personnel exchanges, studying legislative models, building peace in the southern border provinces, and looking after Thai workers in Malaysia, according to Mr Tawee.