Thai PM Paetongtarn Shinawatra Kicks Off Maiden Malaysia Visit with Warm Welcome

PUTRAJAYA, Dec 16 — Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was warmly received at the Perdana Putra Complex today, marking the start of her two-day official visit to Malaysia. Upon her arrival at 9am, she was greeted by Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, and both leaders witnessed the playing of their national anthems.

The ceremony included a guard of honour by the Royal Ranger Regiment, and was attended by Paetongtarn's husband, Pidok Sooksawas, as well as Malaysia's First Lady Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail, Deputy Prime Ministers Ahmad Zahid Hamidi and Fadillah Yusof, and other senior officials.

Following the formalities, the Thai PM signed the guest book before meeting with Anwar under the Malaysia-Thailand Annual Consultation framework to strengthen bilateral relations and explore new areas of cooperation. The two leaders are set to witness the exchange of memorandums of understanding (MoUs) in culture, arts, heritage, and the rubber industry.

In 2023, Thailand was Malaysia’s sixth-largest global trading partner, with bilateral trade totaling US$24.83 billion, underscoring the strong economic ties between the two ASEAN neighbors.