Saudi Arabia is pleased with the improvement in Saudi-Thai relations and hopes to see them grow in many ways, including sports, according to Prince Fahd bin Jalawi bin Abdul Aziz, Vice President of the Saudi Olympic Committee, who is in Thailand this week to watch badminton finals in Bangkok.

The Saudi prince called on Deputy Prime Minister and chairman of the Olympic Committee of Thailand Prawit Wongsuwan this morning (Monday) to discuss sporting cooperation between the two kingdoms.

The Saudi prince said that his country is ready to enter into an agreement with Thailand for sports cooperation, exchange of sports knowledge and personnel exchange for sports development, adding that a working team will be sent here to follow up on this joint cooperation.

He said that he hopes Thailand will send its organising team to the Asian Indoor Martial Arts 2025 tournament and the Asian Games 2034, to be held in Saudi Arabia, to share experiences, at an appropriate time.

Prawit, meanwhile, said that relations between the two countries have grown and strengthened at several levels, covering trade, investment, industry, tourism, energy and security.

After about 30 years of sour relations over the “Blue Diamond” affair, which involved a theft of jewelries by a Thai worker at a Saudi palace and subsequent mysterious deaths, relations between Thailand and Saudi Arabia have normalised following the official visit to the country by Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha in January. Direct flights between Bangkok and Riyadh have resumed, and agreements have been made in recruiting Thais to work in Saudi Arabia.

Deputy Prime Minister Prawit said that Thailand is ready to cooperate with Saudi Arabia in research and development of clean energy and is ready to welcome investments from Saudi Arabia, especially in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC).

The 2022 Thomas & Uber Cup matches are being held in Bangkok’s Impact Arena until May 15^th.