On 11 - 13 June 2024, Ambassadors and Executives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs supported the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre (SBPAC) in organising the Ambassadors’ Visit to the Southern Border Provinces of Thailand 2024 under the theme “Uplift the People’s Quality of Life,” in which members of the diplomatic corps in Thailand from 8 Organisation of the Islamic Cooperation (OIC) countries participated.

Four Thai Ambassadors, namely H.E. Mr. Darm Boontham, Ambassador of Thailand to Saudi Arabia, H.E Mr. Prapan Disyatat, Ambassador of Thailand to Indonesia, H.E. Mr. Sorayut Chasombat, Ambassador of Thailand to the United Arab Emirates, and H.E. Mr. Apirat Sugondhabhirom, Ambassador of Thailand to Türkiye, accompanied by H.E. Mr. Sorut Sukthaworn, Ambassador attached to the Ministry, and Mr. Thanawat Sirikul, Deputy Director-General, Department of Information, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, visited Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat alongside the Ambassadors of Brunei Darussalam, Egypt and Iran, to Thailand, Chargés d'Affaires of the Embassies of Malaysia, Maldives and Nigeria, as well as Deputy Chiefs of Mission of the Embassy of Indonesia and the Consulate-General of Uzbekistan. The visit became a great platform of exchange between the Thai Ambassadors and the Foreign Envoys while forging a better understanding of economic potentials and opportunities of the Southern Border Provinces for all participants.

H.E. Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Interior, and H.E. Mr. Thawee Sodsong, Minister of Justice, gave welcoming remarks during the first day’s dinner. Both emphasised the Thai Government’s key policy in positioning Thailand as regional hubs of health services, aviation, transportation and tourism. They also stressed Thailand’s commitment in cooperating with Muslim countries to uplift the people’s living standards.

During the three days, the Envoys learnt about the current situation and government policies to develop the Southern Border Provinces, multicultural society, and the economic potentials in terms of infrastructure, trade and investment, Halal-related business, and tourism. They visited various destinations that showcase the strength of the area, including (1) Development Policies and Implementations at the TK Park Yala and the Pikun Thong Royal Development Study Centre, (2) Economic Opportunities through the exhibition on HRH Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya’s fabric design at the Yaring Batik Community Enterprise Group, meetings with Thai exporters, and a site visit to the second Golok River Bridge, and (3) Education and Culture at the Pattani Central Mosque, meetings with major universities in the area, and visit to the Kota Bharu Cultural Museum and the Museum of Islamic Cultural Heritage and Al-Quran Learning Center in Narathiwat.

The Envoys sincerely expressed their appreciation for the opportunity to participate in the visit and saw firsthand vibrancy of the Southern Border Provinces, which may have been obscured by the news coverage of sporadic insecurity situations. The visit also provided great opportunity to further foster cooperations between Thailand and Muslim countries in all aspects, in order to sustainably uplift the people’s quality of life in the Southern Border Provinces of Thailand.