On 5 August 2013, Mr. Surapong Tovichakchaikul, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, chaired a meeting on Thailand’s strategy towards the Middle East. The meeting, held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was attended by Ambassadors and Consuls-General of Thailand to Middle Eastern countries, and included a discussion with representatives from the public and private sectors.
 

Mr. Surapong said that Middle East region was one of the most economically important regions for Thailand. Besides being the major supplier of oil and gas, the region is also a major market for Thai food and agricultural products. Investors from the Middle East should be encouraged to invest more in Thailand.
 

On the policy side, Mr. Surapong noted the importance of promoting more tourism from the Middle East, especially medical tourism, for which Thailand is a well-known destination. He also stressed the importance of economic diplomacy, especially the “1 Ambassador 3 Products” program to increase the market presence of Thai products in the Middle East. The restoration of diplomatic relations between Thailand and Saudi Arabia was also emphasized as an important issue, which could help promote the relations between Thailand and other countries in the region.
 

On international relations, Thailand should continue to work closely with the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) to foster better understanding of the situation in the southern border provinces of Thailand by the Middle Eastern public. In the context of the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD), Thailand has proposed a basic infrastructure blueprint to bridge ASEAN with the Middle East, which would facilitate more trade and investment between the two regions.
 

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   5 August 2013