On 23 January 2012, Mr. Douglas Harvey Monro Gibson, Ambassador of the Republic of South Africa to Thailand, paid a courtesy call on Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul to bid farewell as he completes his tenure in Thailand. Foreign Minister Surapong congratulated Ambassador Gibson for helping to promote Thai-South African relations, in particular cooperation in trade, tourism and technical cooperation in which both countries have shared interests. Ambassador Gibson, in turn, thanked and praised the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as all Thais he had worked with, for their smiles and hardwork.