KOTA BARU: The recent bilateral meeting between Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and his Thai counterpart Paetongtarn Shinawatra will help tackle security issues faced by the two countries.
Thailand's Fourth Army Region 4 commander Lieutenant-General Paisan Nusang said this also showed the relationship between the two countries were really good and it would greatly benefit the Thai people, especially those in the southern region.
"The meeting is good as it helps to strengthen relations between the two countries. Efforts to develop the border area are also being discussed in the meeting, which will benefit border areas of the two countries, especially in Sungai Golok town and Kelantan," he said.
Paisan said the most important topics discussed by the two leaders were the speeding up of several joint projects like the road alignment and construction of a second bridge over Sungai Golok.
"All these projects will boost the border economy and security of both countries," he added.
On another note, Paisan who had served in the Thai security force for more than 30 years, said he aimed to apply five tasks during his service in South Thailand's Internal Security Operations Command, which he helmed since Oct 3.
First, he said was maintaining strict control along the border to prevent illegal movements and smuggling of weapons and explosive devices.
"The other tasks are solving drug problems and promoting cultural heritage preservation of local communities, as well as integrating the security and development dimensions, besides focusing on the enhancement of security functions," he added.
At a press conference following a bilateral meeting between Anwar and Paetongtarn in Kuala Lumpur on Dec 16, the Malaysian and Thai governments had agreed to support efforts to strengthen intra-Asean trade. ()
Regarding joint projects, Anwar said both countries would ensure the timely completion of all committed projects, including the road alignment project linking the Bukit Kayu Hitam Customs, Immigration, Quarantine and Security (CIQS) Complex and Sadao CIQ Complex, as well as the construction of the second bridge linking Rantau Panjang in Kelantan with Sungai Golok in Narathiwat.
He said the discussions also addressed collaborative efforts to resolve issues, such as water management and flood mitigation in southern Thailand and northern Malaysia, particularly in Kelantan and Terengganu.
He also reiterated Malaysia's commitment to facilitating dialogue in Thailand's Southern Border Provinces.
Thailand remains a key trading partner for Malaysia, ranking as its sixth-largest globally and second-largest within Asean in 2023, with bilateral trade valued at US$24.83 billion (RM113.16 billion).