The Thai Prime Minister will pay a visit to Saudi Arabia from Tuesday, a first for a leader of the country in more than three decades marked by diplomatic tensions between Bangkok and Riyadh, after a theft of jewels in a Saudi palace.
“This visit by a head of government is the first for more than 30 years” for the two countries, welcomed the Thai government in a press release.
The invitation to Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-O-cha was extended by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, Bangkok said, adding that the visit is due to begin on Tuesday for a two-day period.
The diplomatic crisis between the two countries was triggered in 1989 by the so-called “blue diamond” affair, when Kriangkrai Techamong, a Thai employee of the palace of a Saudi prince, stole 20 million dollars worth of precious stones.
Thai police later returned some of the jewelry, but Saudi authorities claimed most of it was fake. The most precious stone, a very rare 50-carat blue diamond, has never been found.
Prayut Chan-O-cha will meet the Saudi crown prince “to strengthen and promote bilateral relations”, the Thai government said.
For its part, the Saudi government said that this visit took place “after consultations which resulted in a convergence of views on many issues of common interest”, according to a press release published on the website of the press agency of the kingdom. .
Saudi Arabia has long accused Thai police of botching their investigation into the theft of the gems, saying they were seized by senior officers.
Riyadh had sent a businessman in 1990 to investigate the affair, but the latter disappeared in Bangkok a few days after the shooting death of three Saudi diplomats in the city.
Five men, including a high-ranking Thai policeman, were charged with involvement in the murder of the Saudi businessman but in 2014, due to lack of evidence, charges were dropped against them.
Saudi Arabia has not sent an ambassador to Thailand for decades and is restricting travel between countries.
The jewelry thief, who had sold most of the gems before his arrest, served five years in prison. In 2016, he became a monk, explaining that he wanted to improve his “karma” tainted by this theft.