Newly-appointed Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has posted a photo on his Facebook page of him talking on the telephone with Singapore’s Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, who congratulated him on his appointment.
Anutin revealed that he assured Wong that his government will work to strengthen relations with Singapore, focusing on opportunities in areas such as the digital economy, fintech, food security, energy and education.
Referring to the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur next month, Anutin said he reminded Wong that they will be meeting in person in the next few weeks.
Anutin was elected by parliament as Thailand’s 32nd prime minister, replacing Paetongtarn Shinawatra, on September 5.
He was granted royal endorsement the following day and is now in the process of forming his Cabinet.
On September 7, Wong posted a congratulatory message concerning Anutin’s appointment, saying that Singapore and Thailand share a close and longstanding friendship, from strong defence cooperation and economic ties to the many personal connections between their peoples.
Wong added that he looks forward to working with Anutin in deepening this foundation and exploring new opportunities to bring the two countries and their communities even closer.
Meanwhile, Malaysia’s prime minister, Anwar Ibrahim, posted on his Facebook page that he had a phone call with Anutin earlier this week. Anwar said Anutin had expressed a commitment to ensuring peace between Thailand and Cambodia.
“(Anutin) assured me that he remains committed to ensuring that peace between Cambodia and Thailand will be fully respected and honoured,” Anwar said in his opening address at the 19th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Transnational Crime (AMMTC).
“ASEAN has been extremely kind to give that endorsement as support to our endeavours,” he added.
Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet, whose country has been at loggerheads with Thailand following the deadly border clashes in July, has also offered his congratulations to Anutin on becoming Thailand’s new prime minister.
In his message on social media, Hun Manet reiterated that Cambodia remains committed to resolving border disputes peacefully through existing mechanisms, such as the Cambodia-Thailand Joint Border Commission (JBC), in line with international laws and treaties.
Hun Manet urged the public to trust the government’s efforts to resolve the crisis in the national interest, even if many details could not be disclosed immediately.
“These are difficult times and we must unite and help each other to overcome the challenges,” he said.
The message surprised many, as both Hun Manet and his father, Senate President Hun Sen, had previously been harsh in their criticism of Thailand under Paetongtarn’s leadership.
After she was ousted by order of the Constitutional Court, over her conversation with Hun Sen, and Anutin assumed the premiership, Cambodia’s stance and tone have, however, shifted.
