At the invitation of His Excellency Deputy Prime Minister SOK Chenda Sophea, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, His Excellency Maris Sangiampongsa, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand, paid an official visit to Cambodia on 27 June. The visit was introductory following his recent appointment. The Thai Foreign Minister paid courtesy calls on Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo HUN Sen, President of the Senate, and Samdech Moha Borvor Thipadei HUN Manet, the Prime Minister, ahead of a bilateral meeting with His Excellency SOK Chenda Sophea.
The meetings set directions for progress in ensuring that the peoples of both nations enjoy sustained peace and harmony, better cross-border trade facilitation, and enhanced business-to-business and people-to-people exchanges. It was agreed that existing bilateral cooperation mechanisms should be fully utilized. The celebration of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries next year will be an opportunity for both sides to jointly unlock potentials and create new opportunities for shared growth and deeper friendship.
His Excellency SOK Chenda Sophea confirmed plans to pay an official visit to Thailand and co-chair a meeting of the Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation with his Thai counterpart in September. The two sides expressed their commitment to realize concrete cooperation projects in priority areas within the framework of the Strategic Partnership between the two countries established earlier this year.
The two sides discussed economic cooperation including transport and infrastructure connectivity. They shared the view that the early opening of consulate generals in Siem Reap and Songkhla and the full operation of the Stung Bot-Ban Nong Ian international border checkpoint will contribute significantly to increasing business, trade and tourism exchanges to the benefit of both economies. The ministers also discussed in detail the potential benefits of establishing complementary special economic zones in border provinces. Such zones would enhance supply-chain connectivity and create economic synergies from each country’s comparative advantages.
On tourism and people-to-people ties, both sides applauded the exponential growth in the number of Thai tourists visiting Cambodia. Thailand has stood first on the list of foreign visitor arrivals since 2021, and growing numbers of Cambodians have been visiting Thailand for business, leisure and medical care. Both sides also acknowledged the importance of promoting the region as a joint tourism destination through various initiatives. The Cambodian side looks forward to hosting the Seventh Cambodia-Thailand Joint Working Group Meeting on Tourism Cooperation and the Third Cambodia-Thailand Tourism Ministers’ Meeting in the second half of this year.
On culture and education, the Cambodian side expressed deep gratitude for Thailand’s contribution to developing Cambodian human resources, and looks forward to the expansion of the Thai Language Department at the Royal University of Phnom Penh by the end of this year. Cambodia expressed deep appreciation to Thailand for its decision to return the remaining 20 Khmer artifacts confiscated from smugglers in 1999 and facilitating Cambodian workers’ employment and stay in Thailand.
Other matters discussed during the visit included strengthening energy security, addressing transboundary environmental pollution and regional development.
His Excellency Foreign Minister Maris expressed sincere appreciation for the warm hospitality accorded to him and his delegation during his stay in Cambodia.
Phnom Penh, 27 June 2024
Photo Credit: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cambodia.
