Blue Diamond Affair At An End: Saudi Arabia, Thailand Restore Diplomatic Relations After 30-Year Feud

[webfact]

 

Cassia Sari

 

The Blue Diamond Affair reached a diplomatic resolution last week when Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman welcomed Thai prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to Saudi Arabia for the first time in more than 30 years. The restoration of full diplomatic relations is a historic event with many implications for Saudi and Thai citizens and represents a moment of calmness in the chaos of 2022.

 

Both countries agreed to appoint ambassadors soon and strengthen economic and trade relations upon opening their borders, according to a joint statement released by Saudi state media. “This historic step is the result of long-standing efforts at different levels to re-establish mutual confidence and friendly relations,” the statement said.

 

Saudi Airlines announced that flights to Thailand will resume in May, and both states indicated a labour resource agreement will come to fruition in the near future. Saudi Arabia is seeking eight million skilled workers in the hotel, healthcare, and construction industries, and the Thai government suggested it has the human resources to contribute towards filling Saudi Arabia’s labour needs. This indicator of labour sharing comes as a shock given the history of the Blue Diamond Affair.

 

Full story: https://theowp.org/blue-diamond-affair-at-an-end-saudi-arabia-thailand-restore-diplomatic-relations-after-30-year-feud/

 

-- © Copyright OWP 2022-02-05

 

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[tomyami]

A deal was done money paid thailand junta needs to show something for its incompitence while ruining an economy

[Seik]

"Saudi Arabia is seeking eight million skilled workers in the hotel, healthcare, and construction industries, and the Thai government suggested it has the human resources to contribute towards filling Saudi Arabia’s labour needs."

[SAFETY FIRST]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Saudi Airlines announced that flights to Thailand will resume in May

Thank God they weren't flying to BKK when I was working in Saudi. 

Worst airline, glad they weren't flying to Thailand when I was working in Saudi, my company always preferred direct flights. 

 

Saudi Airlines..... old planes, no booze, flight attendants all men, what a horrible flight. I would fly Jeddah to Dubai (SA), then Emirates get an upgrade on the A380 to business class for the leg Dubai BKK......heaven, what a difference, chalk and cheese. 

[ezzra]

My housekeeper, a Muslim, used to work in Saudia a while back as a housekeeper, her recollections and sentiments toward that county are not at the highest esteems and she would not recommend to anyone to go work there, so if Thailand's grass roots are not a big fan of the Saudis that should said it all... As for finding 8 millions Thai workers, not not and not in Thailand that's for sure...

[RJRS1301]

1 hour ago, Seik said:

"Saudi Arabia is seeking eight million skilled workers in the hotel, healthcare, and construction industries, and the Thai government suggested it has the human resources to contribute towards filling Saudi Arabia’s labour needs."

Once agian another wealthy country (not that the ordinary Saudi earns much) taking the skilled workers from a country which needs their own health systems maintained.

Surely they enough infrastructure to train their own citizens to achieve a higher level of income?
 

 

[jacko45k]

10 minutes ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Thank God they weren't flying to BKK when I was working in Saudi. 

Worst airline, glad they weren't flying to Thailand when I was working in Saudi, my company always preferred direct flights. 

 

Saudi Airlines..... old planes, no booze, flight attendants all men, what a horrible flight. I would fly Jeddah to Dubai (SA), then Emirates get an upgrade on the A380 to business class for the leg Dubai BKK......heaven, what a difference, chalk and cheese. 

I flew them a couple of times from London, way back in the 80s and they were not so bad... just the issue of getting an alcoholic drink. Good food I recall. I believe they went down hill a bit and I too switched to KLM as preferred. You obviously talk of recent times and they certainly had some female attendants.... For Bangkok I did the little skip over to Bahrain. 

[rwill]

At dinner last night with a Thai police officer friend and somehow the conversation got to Prayut's visit to Saudi Arabia.  My wife mentioned that i thought they had secretly given the jewels back.  He said that it was true.  But I don't know how he would have that information.  Just rumors I guess.

[IAMHERE]

Blue Diamond jewelry was stolen in Saudi, smuggled to Thailand, Thailand power elite knew where the Jewelry was and refused to return them to the extent several Saudi's were murdered? Is that a fair synopsis of the BDA(Blue Diamond Affair) ?

[Mr Meeseeks]

I must have missed the part where all the real jewelry including the famous blue diamond was returned to its rightful owners, and the part where justice was served to the people (likely Thai Police) that were behind the whole operation, including the shooting to death of Saudi diplomats in Bangkok and the murder of a woman and child.

 

Yet again, it appears no responsibility is taken by Thailand, not even an apology.

 

Strange that the Saudis, especially the Royals would accept this and put it behind them... I can see some hard times ahead for Thai employees, especially maids and housekeepers.

[SAFETY FIRST]

34 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

no responsibility is taken by Thailand, not even an apology

No responsibility 

No apology 

 

Wow, that's where my ex gf got that attitude from, it's bred in them. 

 

She was bloody cold, cruel and heart less.

Pity the new bloke she's with now. 

 

[Chang_paarp]

34 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

I must have missed the part where all the real jewelry including the famous blue diamond was returned to its rightful owners, and the part where justice was served to the people (likely Thai Police) that were behind the whole operation, including the shooting to death of Saudi diplomats in Bangkok and the murder of a woman and child.

I suspect most of the main players in this opera have died. This allows their successors a chance to do the "not me" dance.

[Sydebolle]

"Saudi Arabia is seeking eight million skilled workers in the hotel, healthcare, and construction industries, and the Thai government suggested it has the human resources to contribute towards filling Saudi Arabia’s labour needs." 

What a load of bo1logz! 

I wish those Thai workers the best of luck now already; get them ready for abuse, rape and slavery conditions. Let them enjoy the Middle East's worst airline - possibly except Yemenia - and prepare them for getting short changed starting with the agency arranging their employ in the dunes of the House of Saud! 

Having said that, the Prayuths and Pravits will be long gone when the Thai hospitality is facing an even worse uphill battle. Once it becomes unavoidable to open the country without any funny little Thai-ideas of entry conditions, who will be providing the hospitality services to the 40 million tourists they expect? Tourism per se is restricted to Khon Thai on the "Alien Business Law" listing (among others its ice carving and basket weaving) and margins are that tight that you can no longer attract aliens to do the job. 

I've never seen a more shortsighted action list than what the present selection of democratically elected professionals in the local government house has compiled for 2022/23. 

Good luck to all! 

[BayArea]

3 hours ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

I must have missed the part where all the real jewelry including the famous blue diamond was returned to its rightful owners, and the part where justice was served to the people (likely Thai Police) that were behind the whole operation, including the shooting to death of Saudi diplomats in Bangkok and the murder of a woman and child.

 

Yet again, it appears no responsibility is taken by Thailand, not even an apology.

 

Strange that the Saudis, especially the Royals would accept this and put it behind them... I can see some hard times ahead for Thai employees, especially maids and housekeepers.

Saudi Arabs will make life miserable for those foolish Thais brave enough to work in the desert kingdom. They may forgive,  but in their hearts and minds they won't forget. 

[The Hammer2021]

Midnight  in Phnom  Penh

By Christopher G Moore

All about  the blue diamond  affair.

Moore is the best fiction writer about Thailand,  crime and expats

[metisdead]

A post with a link to another forum has been removed:

 

13) You will not post links to other Thailand or ASEAN based forums, or forums which could reasonably be construed as competition to ASEANNOW.com or its sponsors.

[Bluespunk]

From linked article 

 

“Although there has been no sign of the eponymous blue diamond”

 

Ah huh… 

Edited February 5, 2022 by Bluespunk

[sammieuk1]

Rumor has it the stone was prized out of the grasp of ? and the general took it back the few corpses along the way are long forgotten we are all friends now ????

[pegman]

2 hours ago, The Hammer2021 said:

Midnight  in Phnom  Penh

By Christopher G Moore

All about  the blue diamond  affair.

Moore is the best fiction writer about Thailand,  crime and expats

Not listed amoung his books

[Longwood50]

Inspector Clouseau has found it. 

[The Hammer2021]

35 minutes ago, pegman said:

Not listed amoung his books

Zero Hour in Phnom  Penh

my mistake

https://www.vincentcalvino.com/books/Zero Hour in Phnom Penh.htm

[fvw53]

12 hours ago, Seik said:

"Saudi Arabia is seeking eight million skilled workers in the hotel, healthcare, and construction industries, and the Thai government suggested it has the human resources to contribute towards filling Saudi Arabia’s labour needs."

...and they cannot find those skilled workers in Pakistan or India ?  

[Golden Triangle]

Thank God for that, maybe now I will sleep properly at night.

[The Hammer2021]

14 hours ago, fvw53 said:

...and they cannot find those skilled workers in Pakistan or India ?  

They can and they do to a certain  extent  and other countries but they value Thai workers also and the Philippines.