World leaders congratulate newly appointed Thai PM

BANGKOK - Congratulatory messages from world leaders have been pouring in for Thailand’s newly elected Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin, conveying their best wishes and hopes for strengthened diplomatic relations with the kingdom.

United States State Secretary State Anthony J.Blinken on Thursday congratulated Srettha on his appointment as Thailand’s new prime minister

"We look forward to working with the prime minister to build on last year’s United States and Thailand Communiqué on Strategic Alliance and Partnership, and to further strengthen the enduring alliance between the United States and Thailand.

"We will collaborate closely with the new Thai government to continue advancing our shared values and a free and open, connected, peaceful, and resilient Indo-Pacific region,” he said in a statement.

Blinken said this year marks 190 years of formal diplomatic relations between the United States and Thailand, one of the oldest diplomatic relationships in the world.

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim also congratulated Srettha on his election as the new Prime Minister of Thailand.

"Hopefully the relationship between Malaysia and Thailand will continue to be strengthened for mutual benefit,” he posted on his Facebook page Wednesday which was accompanied by a video clip showing Anwar's conversation with Srettha.

Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong also sent a congratulatory message to Srettha.

"On behalf of the Government of Singapore, I extend my warmest congratulations on your appointment as the 30th Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand. I am confident that Thailand will continue to grow and prosper under your leadership.

"I look forward to working closely with you to further broaden and deepen our bilateral relations, and to meet you soon. I would like to extend an invitation for you and wife Khun Pakpilai to visit Singapore at the earliest opportunity. I wish you every success and good health as you begin your new term,” he wrote in a congratulatory letter dated Aug 23 and released by Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said "We congratulate Srettha on his election as the new prime minister. We believe the Thai people will achieve even greater success on its national development path that suits their country’s realities.”

China is ready to work with Thailand to focus on building a community with a shared future and pass on our close bond as good neighbors, friends, relatives and partners from generation to generation, he said at a regular press conference on Wednesday.

In his X (Twitter) post, India’s Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi congratulated Srettha and looked forward to working closely with him to take India-Thai bilateral relations to a higher level.

Meanwhile, the European Union (EU) congratulated Srettha on his election as the prime minister and looked forward to working closely with the Thai government to reinforce further EU-Thailand relations in support of the rules-based international order, regional stability, sustainable development, democracy and human rights, prosperity, and free and fair trade.

"The EU-Thailand Partnership and Cooperation Agreement, signed in December 2022, provides the opportunity to deepen our cooperation across all these areas of common interest. The European Union looks forward to its early implementation under the new administration,” it said in a statement.

The 61-year-old Srettha has been confirmed as Thailand’s 30th Prime Minister by parliamentary vote on Tuesday, ending months of political deadlock after the May 14 General Election.

He received King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s written royal command at a ceremony held at Pheu Thai headquarters on Wednesday - a day after he was backed by 482 lawmakers in a 747-joint sitting of the parliament. He is expected to announce his Cabinet in the coming days. - BERNAMA