Saudi Arabia eases regulations for Thai workers

Saudi Arabia has eased regulations on Thai workers and on its own citizens wanting to travel to

Thailand, Thai news agency (TNA) reported on Thursday, quoting the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Nopadol Patama, Secretary to the Foreign Minister, told TNA that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had received a report from the Thai Consul General in Jeddah, saying that the Saudi Arabian government had improved relations with Thailand concretely, by easing visa regulations for Thai workers flying back to visit their hometown.

Riyadh also ease its restrictions on Saudi Arabian people wanting to travel to Thailand, and even lift its travelling ban against Thailand, he said.

"The move is a positive sign and is expected to lead to increasing tourist arrivals and investment projects from Saudi Arabia," said Nopadol.

Thai-Saudi Arabian relations have been soured since the alleged involvement in the case of stolen diamond sets of the Saudi Arabian royal family by some Thai suspects in the past decades.

Recently, the oil rich kingdom also lifted its ban on imports of Thai canned tuna, following a proof that the Thai product has nothing to do with the alleged genetically modified organisms (GMOs), MAP reported.