By Abdulrahman Alsuhaibani
Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Thailand
Every year on 23 September, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia celebrates its National Day, commemorating the historic unification of the Kingdom by the late King Abdulaziz bin Abdulrahman Al Saud in 1932. This historic occasion marks the foundation of the modern Saudi state and celebrates a journey of progress, development, and national unity that has continued for nearly a century.
As the Kingdom celebrates its 96th National Day, Saudi Arabia is also celebrating an era of unprecedented transformation. Under the leadership of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Vision 2030 is reshaping the Kingdom's future through economic diversification, innovation, investment, sustainability, tourism, culture, and global partnerships. Vision 2030 is not only transforming Saudi Arabia domestically but also strengthening its engagement with friends and partners around the world.
For our friends and readers in Thailand, this year's National Day holds special significance. It reflects the remarkable progress in the relationship between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the Kingdom of Thailand—a relationship that has rapidly evolved into one of the strongest and most dynamic partnerships in the region.
A New Chapter in Saudi–Thai Relations
The restoration of diplomatic relations in January 2022 marked a historic turning point for both kingdoms. Following the official visit of former Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and Thailand resumed full diplomatic relations and exchanged ambassadors for the first time in more than three decades. Since then, bilateral cooperation has expanded with impressive momentum across political, economic, educational, cultural, tourism, and investment sectors.
Another major milestone followed in November 2022, when His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman paid an official visit to Bangkok. This landmark visit—the first by a Saudi leader at this level in more than thirty years—demonstrated the shared determination of both countries to build a comprehensive and forward-looking strategic partnership.
The establishment of the Saudi-Thai Coordination Council (STCC) has further elevated bilateral cooperation. The inaugural meeting of the Council, held in Bangkok in January 2025 and co-chaired by the foreign ministers of both countries, created a comprehensive framework to advance cooperation in politics, trade, investment, energy, tourism, education, culture, and many other fields.
Looking ahead, we welcome the Second Meeting of the Saudi-Thai Coordination Council, which will take place in Riyadh next January. This important meeting is expected to build on the achievements of the first Council meeting and further deepen cooperation between our two friendly nations.
Celebrating Seventy Years of Friendship
The year 2027 will mark another historic milestone as Saudi Arabia and Thailand celebrate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, which began on 1 October 1957. Over seven decades, our two kingdoms have developed a relationship based on friendship, mutual respect, and shared interests. Today, that relationship has entered a new era characterized by stronger political dialogue, expanding economic ties, and growing people-to-people connections.
Expanding Economic Cooperation
Economic cooperation has become one of the strongest pillars of the renewed Saudi-Thai partnership. Bilateral trade has continued to grow steadily, with total trade exceeding USD7 billion, reflecting the increasing confidence of businesses and investors in both countries.
Thailand exports a wide range of products to Saudi Arabia, including automobiles and automotive parts, processed food, wood products, machinery, and seafood. In return, Saudi Arabia remains one of Thailand's key suppliers of crude oil, petrochemicals, chemicals, and fertilizers. At the same time, investment cooperation continues to expand in sectors such as tourism, logistics, hospitality, manufacturing, renewable energy, healthcare, and digital technology.
The opening of the Thailand Board of Investment Office in Riyadh has further strengthened commercial ties by supporting Thai businesses seeking opportunities in Saudi Arabia and encouraging Saudi investment in Thailand.
Tourism: Bringing Our Peoples Closer Together
Tourism has become one of the most visible success stories of the renewed relationship. Saudi Arabia has become one of Thailand's fastest-growing tourism markets in the Middle East, with approximately 250,000 Saudi visitors traveling to Thailand in a recent year.
This remarkable growth reflects the strong appeal of Thailand's hospitality, culture, healthcare services, shopping, and natural attractions for Saudi travelers. At the same time, increasing numbers of Thai visitors are discovering Saudi Arabia's rich history, cultural heritage, spectacular landscapes, and exciting new tourism destinations developed under Saudi Vision 2030.
An exciting new development is the launch of Riyadh Air's direct flights between Riyadh and Bangkok. The new service begins with three flights per week and will gradually increase to seven flights per week, providing daily connections between the two capitals. This new route will make travel easier for tourists, students, business leaders, and investors, while further strengthening tourism and economic cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Thailand.
Looking to the Future
As Saudi Arabia celebrates its 96th National Day, we also celebrate a renewed partnership that continues to grow stronger with each passing year. The relationship between Saudi Arabia and Thailand is no longer defined solely by diplomacy. It is reflected in expanding trade and investment, closer educational and cultural cooperation, growing tourism, innovation partnerships, and stronger connections between our peoples.
With the upcoming 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations and the continued work of the Saudi-Thai Coordination Council, the future of this partnership is bright. Together, Saudi Arabia and Thailand are building a relationship that contributes not only to the prosperity of our two countries but also to greater cooperation and understanding across our region.
On this special occasion, we extend our warmest congratulations to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on its National Day and our sincere best wishes to the people of both Saudi Arabia and Thailand for continued peace, friendship, progress, and shared prosperity.
