Thailand and Malaysia Help Build ASEAN Community

Thailand and Malaysia have pledged to join forces in building the ASEAN Community. They have also agreed to cooperate in developing infrastructure linking Thailand’s southern border provinces with Malaysia’s northern and eastern states.

During her one-day official visit to Kuala Lumpur, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra discussed with her Malaysian counterpart Najib Razak economic development for the prosperity and well-being of the people in both countries and the region as a whole.

PM Yingluck Shinawatra

The visit took place on 20 February 2012, as part of her familiarization trip to ASEAN. Malaysia was the last country of her visit in ASEAN, after it was postponed because of the flood crisis in October 2011.

According to Prime Minister Yingluck, Thailand and Malaysia will construct two bridges across the Golok River in Su-ngai Kolok and Tak Bai districts in Narathiwat province. They will cooperate in the halal food industry, as Thailand has strength in agro-industry and its halal science is well-recognized, while Malaysian halal has high-quality standards. The governments of both countries will encourage small and medium-sized enterprises in the halal industry in southern Thailand and northern Malaysia to work together as partners.

PM Yingluck Shinawatra

Both countries attached importance to all forms of connectivity, which would provide greater opportunities for people along their common border. Thailand expressed support for Malaysia’s proposal to promote cooperation between the private sectors of both countries in six industries involved with energy, automobiles, natural rubber, sugar, rice, and tourism.

Malaysia is now Thailand’s fourth-largest trading partner, while Thailand is Malaysia’s fifth-largest trading partner. Trade between the two countries amounted to 24.7 billion US dollars in 2011. Cross-border trade accounts for 74 percent of Thai-Malaysian bilateral trade. Malaysians were the largest group of tourists visiting Thailand in 2011.