Thailand proposes cooperation plan as Saudi investment delegation visits Bangkok

A Saudi delegation led by Investment Minister Khalid Al-Falih at the Thai-Saudi Investment Forum in Bangkok, Thailand, Nov. 7, 2022. (Thai Eastern Economic Corridor Office)
Short Url
Updated 08 November 2022
Follow

Thailand proposes cooperation plan as Saudi investment delegation visits Bangkok

  • Saudi investment minister leads delegation of state-owned, private businesses
  • Plan to be signed during expected visit of Saudi crown prince in Bangkok

BANGKOK: Authorities in Thailand on Tuesday proposed a bilateral cooperation plan to strengthen the country’s newly restored relations with Saudi Arabia, a government spokesperson said, as a high-profile investment delegation from Riyadh arrived in Bangkok.

A Saudi delegation of 150 representatives of state-owned and private enterprises led by Investment Minister Khalid Al-Falih participated on Monday in the Thai-Saudi Investment Forum organized in Bangkok by the Thai government.

A similar forum was held by Saudi authorities in Riyadh in May, following the resumption of bilateral relations earlier this year.  “Today, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has proposed a draft of a plan to strengthen bilateral relations between Thailand and Saudi Arabia in 2022 to 2024. The plan was submitted to the Cabinet and the Cabinet approved it,” Thai government deputy spokesperson Ratchada Thanadirek said in a press conference.

“The mobilization to strengthen the relations between Thailand and Saudi Arabia has been happening since the time the Thai prime minister paid an official state visit to Saudi Arabia earlier this year.

“There have been mobilizations of cooperation in trade, investment, and Thai labor export to Saudi Arabia. These have been happening continuously.”

She added that the cooperation plan would be signed with Saudi Arabia during an expected visit of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman this month.

The crown prince has been invited as a special guest by the Thai leadership to attend the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Bangkok on Nov. 18 and 19.

“The two nations will sign a memorandum of understanding between the government of the Kingdom of Thailand and the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on the establishment of the Saudi-Thai Coordination Council,” Thanadirek added.

“This will be a structure for coordination, consultation, and discussion on the topics that both Thailand and Saudi Arabia are interested in.”

Ties between Saudi Arabia and Thailand stalled in the 1980s and were renewed in late January, following Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha’s visit to Riyadh, on the invitation of the crown prince.

It was the first top leadership meeting between the two kingdoms in more than three decades.

Since the restoration of ties, many agreements and official visits have followed. The two governments have also signed a series of cooperation deals.

The current plan to strengthen relations covers the areas of politics, security, visa procedures, as well as energy cooperation, exports of petrochemicals, food, construction, and consumer products, and cooperation in e-sports and sports tourism.

“These will be highly beneficial to Thai business owners,” Thanadirek said.

Visit Limlurcha, vice chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, who attended the Thai-Saudi Investment Forum on Monday, told Arab News that Saudi Arabia’s dependence on food imports presented opportunities for Thai producers.

Although Saudi Arabia is one of the most food-secure countries in the world, it relies heavily on imports, through which it meets about 80 percent of its food needs.

“Food is one of Saudi Arabia’s main imported goods. They really do focus on importing foods,” said Limlurcha, who also serves as the chairman of Thailand’s Processed Food and Future Food Committee.

“We have a lot of food products, apart from halal food that can serve the needs of Saudi Arabia.”

He saw export potential also in other sectors such as auto parts, cosmetics, and jewelry.

The investment that Saudi Arabia may attract from Thailand — which has long-established expertise in tourism promotion — is in the hospitality sector.

“The industry that Saudi Arabia wants Thailand to invest more is tourism and hotels. Saudi Arabia has been trying to open up their country and wants more people to visit,” Limlurcha said.

Monday’s forum, he added, gave Thai businesspeople an opportunity to do business-matching with their Saudi partners.

He said: “The atmosphere at the forum yesterday was bustling.

“The resumption of relations will give great opportunities to businesspeople in both Thailand and in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia has a lot of businesspeople, who are willing to invest.

“The state of relations before made trade difficult, but now the opportunities come knocking on our door,” he added.


US military judge reinstates 9/11 mastermind plea deal — official

Updated 5 sec ago
Follow

US military judge reinstates 9/11 mastermind plea deal — official

  • Prosecution can appeal decision but it was not immediately clear if they would do so
  • Agreements triggered anger among some relatives of victims of the 2001 attacks

WASHINGTON: A US military judge has reinstated plea agreements for 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two other defendants, an official said Thursday, three months after the deals were scrapped by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
The agreements — which are understood to take the death penalty off the table — had triggered anger among some relatives of victims of the 2001 attacks, and Austin said that both they and the American public deserved to see the defendants stand trial.
“I can confirm that the military judge has ruled that the pretrial agreements for the three accused are valid and enforceable,” the US official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
The prosecution has the opportunity to appeal the decision, but it was not immediately clear if they would do so.
The plea deals with Mohammed and two alleged accomplices were announced in late July in a step that appeared to have moved their long-running cases toward resolution after years of being bogged down in pre-trial maneuverings while the defendants remained held at the Guantanamo Bay military base in Cuba.
But Austin withdrew the agreements two days after they were announced, saying the decision should rest with him given its significance.
He subsequently told journalists that “the families of the victims, our service members and the American public deserve the opportunity to see military commission trials carried out in this case.”
Much of the legal jousting surrounding the men’s cases has focused on whether they could be tried fairly after having undergone methodical torture at the hands of the CIA in the years after 9/11 — a thorny issue that the plea agreements would have avoided.


US military ready to carry out lawful orders of next administration, Pentagon chief says

Updated 07 November 2024
Follow

US military ready to carry out lawful orders of next administration, Pentagon chief says

  • “The US military will also continue to stand apart from the political arena;,” Austin wrote

WASHINGTON: US Défense Secretary Lloyd Austin told troops that the Pentagon was committed to an orderly transition to the incoming administration of Donald Trump, adding that the military would not get involved in politics and was ready to carry out “all lawful orders.”
“The US military will also continue to stand apart from the political arena; to stand guard over our republic with principle and professionalism; and to stand together with the valued allies and partners who deepen our security,” Austin wrote in a memo to troops that was sent out on Wednesday night.


Germany arrests a US citizen over accusations of spying for China

Updated 07 November 2024
Follow

Germany arrests a US citizen over accusations of spying for China

  • The suspect, who was only identified as Martin D., was arrested in Frankfurt
  • His home was being searched

BERLIN: Germany’s federal prosecutor office said it arrested an American citizen on Thursday who allegedly spied for China.
The office said that the suspect, who was only identified as Martin D., was arrested in Frankfurt and that his home was being searched.
The accused, who until recently worked for the US Armed Forces in Germany, is strongly suspected of having agreed to act as an intelligence agent for a foreign secret service.
Earlier this year, he contacted Chinese government agencies and offered to transmit sensitive information from the US military to a Chinese intelligence service, according to an investigation by Germany’s domestic intelligence service.
He had obtained the information in question in the course of his work in the US army, the prosecutor’s statement said, without giving any further information.


Offering Putin Ukraine concessions ‘suicidal’ for Europe: Zelensky

Updated 07 November 2024
Follow

Offering Putin Ukraine concessions ‘suicidal’ for Europe: Zelensky

  • Zelensky blasted those who were urging him to give in to some of President Vladimir Putin’s hard-line demands
  • “There has been much talk about the need to yield to Putin, to back down, to make some concessions ...” Zelensky said

KYIV: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Thursday said it would be “suicidal” for Europe to offer the Kremlin concessions to halt its invasion of Ukraine.
Speaking to European leaders at a summit in Hungary, Zelensky blasted those who were urging him to give in to some of President Vladimir Putin’s hard-line demands, and urged Europe and the United States not to loosen ties following the election of Donald Trump.
“There has been much talk about the need to yield to Putin, to back down, to make some concessions ... It’s unacceptable for Ukraine and suicidal for all Europe,” Zelensky said, according to a copy of the address provided to AFP by the Ukrainian presidency.
He accused some European leaders, without specifying who, of “strongly” pushing Ukraine to make “concessions to Putin” — something Kyiv says would only embolden the Kremlin leader and encourage further aggression.
“We need sufficient weapons, not support in talks. Hugs with Putin won’t help. Some of you have been hugging him for 20 years, and things are only getting worse,” Zelensky said.
The summit was being hosted by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, who has repeatedly railed against the West’s multi-billion dollar support to Kyiv.
Zelensky also urged Europe and the US to preserve their strong ties following Trump’s election victory this week.
The Republican has repeatedly criticized American aid to Ukraine and said he could end the war within hours of taking office.
“We do hope that America will become stronger. This is the kind of America that Europe needs. And a strong Europe is what America needs. This is the connection between allies that must be valued and cannot be lost,” Zelensky said.
As he repeated a call for more Western arms for his struggling army, Zelensky said Europe had to realize that North Korea was effectively “waging war” on the continent.
“North Korea is now, in effect, waging war in Europe. North Korean soldiers are attempting to kill our people on European soil,” he said, referring to reports Pyongyang has deployed troops to Russia to support the invasion.


US military judge reinstates 9/11 mastermind plea deal: official

Updated 07 November 2024
Follow

US military judge reinstates 9/11 mastermind plea deal: official

  • The prosecution has the opportunity to appeal the decision, but it was not immediately clear if they would do so

WASHINGTON: A US military judge has reinstated plea agreements for 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two other defendants, an official said Thursday, three months after the deals were scrapped by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.
The agreements — which are understood to take the death penalty off the table — had triggered anger among some relatives of victims of the 2001 attacks, and Austin said that both they and the American public deserved to see the defendants stand trial.
“I can confirm that the military judge has ruled that the pretrial agreements for the three accused are valid and enforceable,” the US official told AFP on condition of anonymity.
The prosecution has the opportunity to appeal the decision, but it was not immediately clear if they would do so.
The plea deals with Mohammed and two alleged accomplices were announced in late July in a step that appeared to have moved their long-running cases toward resolution after years of being bogged down in pre-trial maneuverings while the defendants remained held at the Guantanamo Bay military base in Cuba.
But Austin withdrew the agreements two days after they were announced, saying the decision should rest with him given its significance.
He subsequently told journalists that “the families of the victims, our service members and the American public deserve the opportunity to see military commission trials carried out in this case.”
Much of the legal jousting surrounding the men’s cases has focused on whether they could be tried fairly after having undergone methodical torture at the hands of the CIA in the years after 9/11 — a thorny issue that the plea agreements would have avoided.