Israel–Thailand relations

Israel-Thailand relations

Israel
Thailand

Israel–Thailand relations refers to diplomatic and cultural ties between the State of Israel and Thailand. The countries have had official relations since June 1954. The Israeli embassy in Bangkok was established in 1958.[1] Since 1996, Thailand has had an embassy in Tel Aviv.[2] In 2014, Thailand and Israel will celebrate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations.

History

On 28 December 1972, a four-member commando of the Palestinian terrorist group Black September invaded the Israeli embassy in Bangkok and held the ambassador and several of his guests as hostages. Two Thai government members, Dawee Chullasapya and Chatichai Choonhavan, who was then deputy foreign minister and became prime minister in 1988, along with the Egyptian ambassador to Thailand, Mustapha el Assawy, negotiated the release of the hostages and instead offered themselves and a number of other Thai officials as surety for the terrorists' safe conduct to Cairo. Then Israeli prime minister Golda Meir praised the Thai government for their diplomacy which made for a bloodless end of the crisis.[3]

In January 2004, Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn inaugurated a joint Israeli-Thai agro-technology experimental farm for irrigation of high value crops at Khon Kaen University. There is a Thai-Israel Chamber of Commerce, Thai-Israel Friendship Foundation as well as a small community of Israelis living in Thailand.[4] After the floods in 2011, Israel sent water management experts to Thailand. Princess Chulabhorn Mahidal is involved in advancing scientific cooperation between the two countries. In 2012 the two countries signed a Trade Agreement. The Thai ambassador to Israel is Jukr Boon-Long. The Israeli ambassador to Thailand is Simon Roded.[5]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Israel embassy in Bangkok
  2. ↑ Thai embassy in Tel Aviv
  3. ↑ King Bhumibol Adulyadej: A Life's Work, Editions Didier Millet, 2012, p. 126
  4. ↑ "The Virtual Jewish History Tour: Thailand". Jewishvirtuallibrary.org.
  5. ↑ Peres talks globalization, scientific cooperation with five new ambassadors, Jerusalem Post