Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced the appointment of former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra as an informal advisor for Malaysia’s chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) next year.
The announcement was made by Ibrahim during a joint press conference with Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra in Putrajaya today, December 16.
“I have agreed to appoint [Thaksin] as my informal advisor on chairing ASEAN, along with a team of members from ASEAN countries in an informal setup.”
The announcement coincided with PM Paetongtarn’s two-day visit to Malaysia. Discussions between the two leaders centred on strengthening bilateral ties, enhancing border cooperation, and promoting tourism collaboration between the two nations.
The two leaders agreed to explore ways to align their respective tourism campaigns to boost regional travel. Thailand’s Amazing Thailand Grand Tourism Year campaign will launch next year, while Malaysia has designated 2026 as Visit Malaysia Year.
The joint statement released after their meeting also noted ongoing discussions about Thailand’s proposed Six Countries, One Destination scheme. This initiative aims to introduce a single-visa policy allowing seamless travel between Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Brunei, akin to the Schengen system present for European nations.
While Malaysian PM Ibrahim expressed support for the idea, further deliberations among officials from both countries are required to move forward.
The two leaders pledged to strengthen connectivity between their countries, with a focus on road, rail, and customs links at the border. A significant project highlighted in their talks is a new bridge connecting Sungai Kolok in Thailand’s Narathiwat province to Rantau Panjang in Malaysia’s Kelantan state.
The bridge is expected to be completed within three years and is seen as a key development to enhance cross-border economic activities.
Thailand and Malaysia also set an ambitious target to increase bilateral trade to US$30 billion by 2027. Both nations committed to working closely to achieve this goal through enhanced economic cooperation.
On regional issues, Thailand expressed support for Malaysia’s initiative to address the crisis in Myanmar. Malaysia plans to establish an office for a special ASEAN envoy on Myanmar during its chairmanship, reflecting its commitment to resolving the situation, reported Bangkok Post.
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