General Prayut, attired in colourful Chinese clothes for the Chinese New Year, addressed supporters in Ratchaburi on Thursday as he revealed that Chinese tour groups are to return to Thailand. The prime minister, in a rousing speech, singled out both China and Saudi Arabia as key friends and partners of Thailand in these challenging economic times.

 

by James Morris and Son Nguyen

The comments by the prime minister about the closeness of the bond between China and Thailand are reminiscent of his Time magazine interview in 2017 when he unequivocally described China as the kingdom’s key partner and ally. His comments concerning Saudi Arabia also stood out as he addressed his supporters in Ratchaburi.

 

Prime Minister Prayut Chan ocha, on Thursday, announced that China has approved the resumption of foreign tourism tour groups to the kingdom in a rousing speech in Ratchaburi where he singled out both China and Saudi Arabia as key friends of the kingdom as it tackles difficult economic challenges. General Prayut who is now effectively campaigning to remain in power as the nominee for prime minister of the Ruam Thai Sang Chart Party (RTSC) in the May 7th General Election told an enthusiastic audience of supporters that China, in particular, was among Thailand’s oldest friends as he effusively thanked President Xi Jinping and celebrated the Chinese New Year as an opportunity for the growth of cultural tourism between the two countries.

 

The voice of Prime Minister Prayut Chan ocha may at times have been hoarse but it certainly did not lack enthusiasm in western Thailand’s Ratchaburi province on Thursday as he celebrated the beginning of the Chinese New Year surrounded by key advisors and supporters.

 

Full story: https://www.thaiexaminer.com/thai-news-foreigners/2023/01/19/pm-prayut-hails-china-and-saudi-arabia-as-friends/

 

-- © Copyright Thai Examiner 2023-01-20

 

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45 minutes ago, webfact said:

he unequivocally described China as the kingdom’s key partner and ally

maybe that's why the US will not be selling any F-35s to you anytime soon. 

Only interested in the $$$$

Careful not to upset your other ‘friends’ now, Russia & Iran, by not including them in that cringe statement. 

Prayuth knows no boundaries of either civility, or sycophantism, when it comes to dictators and despots. Bow down to serial killers, the morally depraved, and embarrass your nation by your continued presence as a leader. 

3 hours ago, webfact said:

China and Saudi Arabia

With friends like these, who needs enemies, get Czar Vlad and the Talliban on board as well!

4 hours ago, webfact said:

The comments by the prime minister about the closeness of the bond between China and Thailand are reminiscent of his Time magazine interview in 2017 when he unequivocally described China as the kingdom’s key partner and ally. His comments concerning Saudi Arabia also stood out as he addressed his supporters in Ratchaburi.

Friends, more like his saviour of GDP which otherwise would have tanked.

Unless China starts reissuing passports to its people en-mass there won't be as many arrivals as Prayut and TAT expect.

 

https://www.npr.org/2022/12/28/1145764452/china-says-it-will-resume-issuing-passports-and-visas-as-virus-curbs-ease

Looks like he's got his Kraken combat jacket on just incase it all goes horribly wrong ????

1 hour ago, sammieuk1 said:

Looks like he's got his Kraken combat jacket on just incase it all goes horribly wrong ????

He's finished all the curtains in Government House and is obviously having his outfits made from the loose covers from the staff quarters sofas!

????????????????????  3 New strains are coming your way Happy Luna New Year with love from CCP ???????? ! Im sure they Thais will blame farangs 

Cha Cha Prayhoot is so far up the @rse of Xi he can't see anymore for the sh!t.

Quote

PM hails China and Saudi Arabia

Yup, they definitely need hailing. Some thunder and lightning would also help.

Strange comment by the PM. It wasn't long ago when Chinese backed insurgents try to turn Thailand communist, to the extent the Thai army burned suspected communist villagers alive in red tanks filled with boiling oil.

He isn't too young to remember. 

The prime minister was surrounded  by key advisors and supporters celebrating Chinese New Year ?, I'd  like to see him surrounded by  your everyday regular Chinese tourist along with the Health Minister

He knows which way the wind is blowing. End of the unipolar world, expanded BRICS (including Saudi, Iran, Argentina etc.) is where the economic power is moving.

14 minutes ago, roquefort said:

He knows which way the wind is blowing. End of the unipolar world, expanded BRICS (including Saudi, Iran, Argentina etc.) is where the economic power is moving.

Yes the Yank empire is in it's twilight. Their corporate media propagandists can't change that as hard as they may try. Nothing illustrated that more than Biden's humiliating trip to Saudi where he left with his cap empty.

 

 https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/15/world/middleeast/biden-mbs-saudi-visit.html

8 hours ago, sammieuk1 said:

Looks like he's got his Kraken combat jacket on just incase it all goes horribly wrong ????

Exactly. A preplanned jungle dash concealed by his camo shirt.

The brethren in the big red North have gotten Prayuth over to Beijing more than once to receive instructions. So the puppet master of Thailand sits behind the Great Wall. 

The Saudis, well, that is another story. But as the princes of their Kingdom sort of wrote off the heist of the century dating back to 1989, everything is OK, fine and happy now. 

If these groups, together with South Asians, would be ranking in the class of "quality tourists" .... is yet to be seen; I for one would not vouch for any of them. 

The Russians, burning money as if there is no tomorrow, enjoy particularly Phuket. Rest assured that all those high spenders are gone the minute they can travel to Europe again; for the time being Thailand is an option, if you want to leave the Siberian winter behind you, as Russians cant travel to any European country - with compliments of Zelensky and Co. ............. 

7 hours ago, lujanit said:

Cha Cha Prayhoot is so far up the @rse of Xi he can't see anymore for the sh!t.

was looking at the photo in detail and have to agree with you... the tip of his nose is kind off brownish  555

Quote

At the same time, he warned that the kingdom faces many economic difficulties but highlighted the country’s friendships with countries such as China and Saudi Arabia as singularly important relationships as it seeks to negotiate its way forward.

Meanwhile, over there in reality-land, 

Quote

During the past decade, China handed out a trillion dollars in international loans as part of Beijing’s Belt and Road initiative, intended to develop economic trade and expand China’s influence across Asia, Africa and Latin America. . . . Now, low-quality construction on some of the projects risks crippling key infrastructure and saddling nations with even more costs for years to come as they try to remedy problems.    https://www.wsj.com/articles/china-global-mega-projects-infrastructure-falling-apart-11674166180?st=dner2r5oweceyi4

 

Oh Hail no....

once again he has bent over and spread them wider for his masters, the sooner this idiot is gone the better, letting the chinese do as they please has become his catch cry, screw the country and the people

In worrying about "friends," ASEAN (and Thailand) ought to consider FDI. The US dwarfs China in that regard. Perhaps the US government should direct US firms towards more US "friendly" countries.  

Quote

However, the US is a more significant source of foreign direct investment (FDI); it provided US$35bn (26% of total FDI inflows) to ASEAN in 2020, compared with US$11.6bn from China and Hong Kong (8.5% of total inflows).     https://www.eiu.com/n/asean-strives-to-stay-neutral-as-us-china-tension-rises/#:~:text=However%2C the US is a,8.5% of total inflows).

 

On 1/19/2023 at 11:26 PM, roquefort said:

He knows which way the wind is blowing. End of the unipolar world, expanded BRICS (including Saudi, Iran, Argentina etc.) is where the economic power is moving.

Credit to Thai government which was the first recognizing Saudi Crown Prince had committed turning to the East and resetting Thailand-Saudi diplomatic relations  in early 2022. 

 

Updated News on March 11, 2023

Saudi Arabia official and Iran official met face-to-face to ease multi-decade long confrontation and reset to start diplomacy.   The talk was held in the Foreign Ministry office in Beijing on March 6-10 2023  ( Washington was probably kept in the dark ).    This was unthinkable just months ago.  But it is now possible after China Xi visited Saudi Riyah in Dec 2022 and Iran Raisi visited China Beijing weeks ago.

 

USA wouldn't like this development,  so USA news outlet would make it low profile and low priority. . 

 

 

On 1/19/2023 at 11:26 PM, roquefort said:

He knows which way the wind is blowing. End of the unipolar world, expanded BRICS (including Saudi, Iran, Argentina etc.) is where the economic power is moving.

You understand the trend and reality,  not quite for USA Biden and Blinken. 

Biden refused to accept the reality and visited Saudi in Aug 2022 empty handed coming back after the visit. 

Joe Biden subsequently said to review USA-Saudi relations.   Five months had gone, nothing still. 

On 1/20/2023 at 6:43 AM, sammieuk1 said:

Looks like he's got his Kraken combat jacket on just incase it all goes horribly wrong ????

All the better for concealment when he slinks over fhe border into Burma following election defeat.

4 hours ago, sscc said:

Credit to Thai government which was the first recognizing Saudi Crown Prince had committed turning to the East and resetting Thailand-Saudi diplomatic relations  in early 2022. 

 

Updated News on March 11, 2023

Saudi Arabia official and Iran official met face-to-face to ease multi-decade long confrontation and reset to start diplomacy.   The talk was held in the Foreign Ministry office in Beijing on March 6-10 2023  ( Washington was probably kept in the dark ).    This was unthinkable just months ago.  But it is now possible after China Xi visited Saudi Riyah in Dec 2022 and Iran Raisi visited China Beijing weeks ago.

 

USA wouldn't like this development,  so USA news outlet would make it low profile and low priority. . 

 

 

nothing to worry about, they will start, again,  confrontations very again.... old and bitter rivals don't see eye to eye and this temporary relationship was just for China looking good nothing else.... keep in mind Yemen

 

How come Saudi Arabia and Iran don't get along?

Saudi Arabia and Iran - two powerful neighbours - are locked in a fierce struggle for regional dominance.

How a Saudi-Led Alliance Battling an Iran-Backed Militia Devastated Yemen

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/07/world/middleeast/yemen-war-saudi-arabia.html

Why Saudi Arabia and Iran are bitter rivals

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-42008809#:~:text=Saudi Arabia and Iran - two powerful neighbours,sees itself as the leading Sunni Muslim power.

 

45 minutes ago, Mavideol said:

nothing to worry about, they will start, again,  confrontations very again.... old and bitter rivals don't see eye to eye and this temporary relationship was just for China looking good nothing else.... keep in mind Yemen

 

How come Saudi Arabia and Iran don't get along?

Saudi Arabia and Iran - two powerful neighbours - are locked in a fierce struggle for regional dominance.

How a Saudi-Led Alliance Battling an Iran-Backed Militia Devastated Yemen

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/07/world/middleeast/yemen-war-saudi-arabia.html

Why Saudi Arabia and Iran are bitter rivals

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-42008809#:~:text=Saudi Arabia and Iran - two powerful neighbours,sees itself as the leading Sunni Muslim power.

 

The news you  quoted were dated  

Sept 2019 

April 2022.

 

I take updated news,  not yester-year news as you were so keen.