Thailand to restore normal relations with Saudi Arabia
The Thai government will set up a panel to study ways to restore normal relations with Saudi Arabia, Thai News agency TNA reported quoting a parliamentary source.
The source in the Senate's Foreign Affairs Commission told TNA on Friday that Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was planning to set up a committee in charge of studying ways to restore normal relations with Saudi Arabia.
The committee would be headed by Justice Minister Phongthep Thepkanjana, he disclosed.
"A major task of the committee will be to try to bring a case in which Saudi Arabian diplomatic staff and business persons were murdered into clear justice procedures," said the source.
The move followed a testimony before the Senate's Foreign Affairs Commission of Transport and Communications Minister Wnmuhamadnoor Matha, who, as a leading Muslim politician, has sound relations with Saudi Arabia, Mr. Wanmuhamadnoor was Thursday invited to testify before the Senate's panel on problems hindering the restoration of normal relations between Thailand and Saudi Arabia, according to Nikhom Chaokittisophon, a senator from the northern province of Lampang, who is also Deputy Chairman of the Senate's Foreign Affairs Commission.
"Minister Wanmuhamadnoor told the panel that the key point which now hinders the restoration of normal relations between Thailand and Saudi Arabia is a case in which Saudi Arabian diplomatic staff and business persons were murdered, and the case has yet clearly brought to the justice system," he noted.
Riyadh wanted the case to be clearly settled through justice procedures, he stressed.
"Minister Wanmuhamadnoor suggests that the Senate's Foreign Affairs Commission lead the move to seek ways to restore relations with Riyadh either in the level of political advisor of the Saudi Arabian King, or the level of top leaders between the two governments, as sour relations between the two countries have affected the Thai economy in many areas, namely the loss of job opportunities of Thai workers in Saudi Arabia, and of tourism revenues, as Riyadh has barred its people from travelling to Thailand," he disclosed.