BANGKOK, Oct 23 — The bilateral trade value between Malaysia and Thailand increased by almost 12 per cent between 2017 and 2018, Malaysian ambassador to Thailand Datuk Jojie Samuel said today.
In a meeting with the Malaysian media here ahead of Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad’s arrival, Samuel said that the peace talk efforts facilitated by Malaysia in the Southern Thailand conflict had also played a role in increasing investors’ confidence in both the nations.
“For this year, for 2018, January till August 2018, the value of tradings between Thailand and Malaysia RM75.59 billion, and this in an increment of close to 12 per cent compared to the same period of between January and August in 2017.
“In 2017 January till August, the value of total trade between Thailand and Malaysia was RM64.15 billion,” he added.
Samuel said Malaysia’s investments in Thailand as of last year, stood at RM9.51 billion, with over 1,000 Malaysian companies actively operating in the country — mostly in the manufacturing, aviation, banking sectors.
Key Malaysian stakeholders in the kingdom state’s economy include CIMB, RHB Bank, AirAsia and Petronas.
“Definitely what is important is in terms of our effort to assist and help Thailand to create a peaceful environment there (Southern Thailand).
“Definitely it would increase the confidence of businessmen, the private sector and the investors, as Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad said previously, he said that we are an honest broker and we are looking into how we can resolve the issue in Southern Thailand amicably, between both sides,” he added.
Malaysia has been the facilitator of peace talks between the Thailand government and MARA Patani, an umbrella body representing militant groups in the Southern Thailand provinces of Yala, Narathiwat and Pattani since 2014, after conflict in the region broke out 15 years ago.
In August, former Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Tan Sri Abdul Rahim Noor was appointed as the new facilitator for the talks, replacing Datuk Seri Ahmad Zamzamin Hashim, who was appointed by the then Barisan Nasional government.
Dr Mahathir is scheduled to make an official visit to Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand tomorrow.
This is his first official trip here since taking over as the seventh prime minister in May. His last visit was in 2003, when he was the then fourth prime minister.
The Langkawi MP is expected to discuss issues pertaining to cross-border crimes as well as the Southern Thailand conflict tomorrow, in a meeting with his Thailand counterpart, Prayut Chan-o-cha.
