HE Mr Darm Boontham, ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, officially took up the appointment in November 2022. Even with his busy schedule, the ambassador was kind enough to sit down with Elite+ during his last return visit to Thailand to discuss Saudi Arabian – Thai relations.
Ambassador Darm joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1994 as Third Secretary at the Boundary Division, Department of Treaties and Legal Affairs. He obtained his BA in Political Science from Thammasat University and continued his studies in France. Fluent in French, his overseas postings have included Geneva, Paris and Phnom Penh. In 2019, he was appointed as the Thai Ambassador to Morocco, also accredited to Tunisia and Mauritania. Then, in 2021, he returned to Thailand to become the director-general of the Department of South Asia, Middle East and African Affairs, which he held until his appointment as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Thailand to Saudi Arabia last year.
Before assuming your post as Thai ambassador to Saudi Arabia, you served as the director-general (DG) of the Department of South Asia, Middle East and African Affairs. Did it take much time to adjust to your new position, and how would you say this previous position helped you to prepare?
The Cabinet approved my appointment as ambassador to Saudi Arabia on 28 June 2022, but as DG in charge of the normalization of relations between Saudi Arabia and Thailand which took place during the Official Visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha in January 2022, I was only able to travel to Saudi Arabia to take up my position as ambassador of Thailand at the start of November 2022. Then, I had to return to Thailand to help prepare for the historic official visit to Thailand of HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, on the seventeenth and nineteenth of November 2022 after His Royal Highness’s acceptance of the Thai government’s invitation to take part in the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting (AELM) as well as to effectuate his official visit to the Kingdom of Thailand.
Serving as the director-general of the Department of South Asia, Middle East and African Affairs prior to my appointment as the ambassador to Saudi Arabia was indeed very good preparation for this important task, especially given the fact that over the two years in this position, normalising relations with Saudi Arabia had been a top priority for the Ministry and Government.
As you are the first Thai ambassador to Saudi Arabia after Thailand and Saudi Arabia restored full diplomatic relations, what do you believe are your first priorities in fomenting closer ties between the two kingdoms?
I feel that it is my great privilege and honour to have been entrusted to serve as the first Thai ambassador to Saudi Arabia in over 30 years after re-establishing diplomatic relations between the two countries.
My first priorities are creating better under- standing between the two countries and promoting an atmosphere of friendship and partnership. I plan to work closely with all authorities concerned to strengthening diplomatic relations and explore and promote trade, investment and business opportunities between the two kingdoms.
What will you and the embassy be doing to promote and support the rehiring of Thai workers in Saudi Arabia?
With the expansion of cooperation between the two countries, I am certain there will be increasing employment opportunities, particularly in key sectors such as hotel and hospitality as well as the medical and wellness sectors as the Saudi side has a large demand of high-quality personnel from Thailand.
What will you be doing to help expand and support Thai Muslims who want to go on the Hajj, Umrah or other religious pilgrimages?
Our Embassy, together with the Royal Thai Consulate in Jeddah, will continue to work very closely with all concerned Saudi Arabian authorities such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Hajj and Umrah to best assist Thai pilgrims travelling to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj and Umrah.
How do you think the Embassy can support and promote medical tourism in addition to general travel to Thailand by Saudi Arabians?
Thailand is already well known as a medical hub for Middle East patients. The Embassy can build upon Thailand’s reputation and work closely with Thai health providers to promote Thailand as a destination for health and wellness with our world class technology. However, we need to ensure that Thailand maintains its high standards and that visitors are kept well informed of important information to prevent any misunderstanding or bad impressions. We are also already working closely with Thai hospitals and care providers in disseminating information about Thai healthcare systems and the benefits of receiving treatments in Thailand to uphold and maintain our position as a medical hub of choice for the Middle East region.
What types of trade are currently taking place between Thailand and Saudi Arabia and how will you promote its expansion?
Saudi Arabia is a huge market with vast untapped potential for Thailand. With a population of 35 million people, it is the biggest market in the Middle East region and a source of energy security for Thailand. In 2021, Saudi Arabia was the second biggest trade partner of Thailand in the Middle East (after UAE) and the seventeenth biggest trade partner of Thailand in the world, with our bilateral trade volume standing at 7,352.95 million USD, of which Thai imports were valued at 5,700.90 million USD and exports at 1,652.06 USD. Between January to August 2022, the bilateral trade volume had reached 6,483.51 million USD, which was an increase of about 45.28 percent compared to the same period in 2021.
Presently, the important exports from Thailand are vehicles, accessories and components, wood and wooden products, air conditioners and components, rubber products, canned seafood and processed seafood, while important imports from Saudi Arabia are crude oil and petroleum, minerals, chemicals, fertilisers and pesticides.
After the normalization of diplomatic relations, there has been a continuous effort from both sides to strengthen economic, trade and investment cooperation between the two countries. The visits of the Thai prime minister and Saudia Arabian crown prince have clearly demonstrated the belief and sincerity from both sides to enhance cooperation and realise the potential of the two countries based on the complementary nature of the “Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) Economy of Thailand” and “Saudi Vision 2030” of Saudi Arabia.
Important economic progress in trade and investment is exemplified by the more than 30 MOUs that have already been signed by the public and private sectors of the two countries
What advice or assistance can you and the embassy provide for Thai and Saudi Arabian entrepreneurs interested in investing in the other’s country.
The Embassy is always ready to assist Thai entrepreneurs in doing business in Saudi Arabia. We will help them connect with concerned authorities of Saudi Arabia such as the Ministry of Investment (MISA), Ministry of Commerce and private sector organisations such as the Federation of Saudi Chambers to synergize and advance cooperation. As for Saudi entrepreneurs who wish to establish their contacts with Thailand, the Embassy is also ready to help them connect with Thai authorities concerned such as the Board of Investment (BOI), Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) as well as Thai private sector organisations such as the Thai Chamber of Commerce, Thai Chamber of Industry and Thai Banking Association.
What are your impressions so far since you have arrived in Saudi Arabia?
I can say that I have been greatly impressed by the progress and development of Saudi Arabia, which is certainly a testament to the vision and leadership of HM King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.
Saudi Arabia has also made significant progress in the fields of science and technology, which can be seen in such institutions as King Abdullah University of Sciences and Technology (KAUST). I hope we can see more collaborations in research and innovation between the two countries soon.
What is your vision of the future for Thai-Saudi Arabian relations?
I am delighted that Thailand and Saudi Arabia have turned over a new page in our bilateral relations. We unfortunately lost many opportunities over the past decades, and now is the moment we can make up for lost time. I hope to see Thai – Saudi Arabian bilateral relations rise to new plains to reflect the current advancement, development and status of our countries in the world, as leaders in food and energy security.
I believe that with our countries’ strategic locations, we can be each other’s partner and serve as gateways to each other’s region, better connecting the Middle East and Southeast Asia
Do you have any final thoughts you would like to leave with our readers?
Saudi Arabia and Thailand are like old friends that need to get reacquainted. It will take time, and we need to give the process adequate time and not rush things. In the meantime, we can take this opportunity to learn about each other through exchange visits at the people-to-people level to promote better understanding and closer cooperation. I recommend that your readers visit sites in Saudi Arabia such as Al-Ula, a World Heritage site, and explore the many attractions of Saudi Arabia.
