Saudi Arabia–Thailand relations

Saudi Arabia-Thailand relations

Saudi Arabia
Thailand

Saudi Arabia–Thailand relations refers to the current and historical relations between Saudi Arabia and Thailand. Saudi Arabia has an embassy in Bangkok and Thailand has an embassy in Riyadh but representation is at the chargé d'affaires rather than ambassadorial level. Relations between the two countries were established in 1957 and hundreds of thousands of Thais went to Saudi Arabia to work.[1] The historically friendly and strategic partnership between Saudi Arabia and Thailand has deteriorated significantly following the Blue Diamond Affair.

Blue Diamond Affair fallout

Main article: Blue Diamond Affair

The Blue Diamond Affair[2] was a series of events triggered by the 1989 theft of gems belonging to the Saudi royal family by a Thai employee. Mohammad al-Ruwaili,[3] a Saudi Arabian businessman close to the Saudi royal family traveled to Bangkok to investigate the case, but was abducted and killed. Three months later, three officials from the Saudi Embassy were also shot to death in Bangkok. The murders remain unsolved to this day.[4] The affair has soured relations between Saudi Arabia and Thailand for the last 25 years.

As a result, Saudi Arabia does not issue working visas for Thais and discourages its citizens from visiting the country. Diplomatic missions were downgraded to chargé d'affaires level. The number of Thai workers in Saudi Arabia fell from more than 200,000 in before the theft to around 10,000 in 2008.[1]

Traveling to Thailand from Saudi Arabia requires an official business visit by the government. Personal business visits have to be authorized by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Tourism is not permitted to Thailand and violating the law by traveling to Thailand is taken seriously. Violators may be subject to investigation leading to a fine or a jail sentence. The number of Thai Muslim pilgrims permitted to perform the hajj has been strictly limited.

In recent years, there have been signs of a thawing of relations. UPI columnist Frank G. Anderson argues that "one theory is the Gulf rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia, wherein the Saudi kingdom finds Iran’s growing influence in Thailand a disadvantage to its relations with Thailand".[5]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Time running out for thai-saudi relations". (sic)en severely strained Editorial. The Nation. 9 April 2008. Retrieved 5 January 2012.
  2. ↑ Thailand's Blue Diamond Heist: Still a Sore Point
  3. ↑
  4. ↑ "Thai cop convicted of Saudi gem theft". Television New Zealand. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  5. ↑ Frank G. Anderson. "Thailand revisits Saudi murder cases." Thai Traditions column from UPI Asia. 30 January 2009. Archived from the original on 5 January 2012.
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