Saudi Arabia has responded positively to Thailand’s request to buy fertiliser from the desert kingdom, to ease the shortage in the country, said Sanan Angubolkul, chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Trade, today (Monday).
Sanan and several top Thai businessmen are currently in Saudi Arabia, as part of a business delegation led by Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai, pursuing bilateral business and investment cooperation.
Sanan said Foreign Minister Don made the request to buy fertiliser during a meeting yesterday with the Investment Minister of Saudi Arabia, Khalid A. Al-Falih, citing the shortage in Thailand as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
He said the Saudi Investment Minister responded to the request by saying that several countries had made similar enquiries, but that Saudi Arabia will give priority to Thailand and that he has instructed Saudi suppliers to meet with the Thai delegation to discuss the issue the following day.
The Thai delegation is also scheduled to participate in the Saudi-Thailand investment forum during the visit, said Sanan, adding that Saudi Arabia has arranged for representatives from 140 Saudi companies to attend.
Relations between Thailand and Saudi Arabia have improved since their normalisation in January, during an official visit to Riyadh by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha following more than three decades of soured relations as a result of the Blue Diamond affair and the murder of Saudi diplomats and a businessman in Thailand.
Saudi Arabia has resumed flights to Thailand and is opening the country to skilled Thai workers.
