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BANGKOKMalaysian Prime Minister Tun Tun Mahathir Mohamad visited Wednesday at the Don Mueang International Airport for a two-day visit to Thailand.
Dr. Mahathir, accompanied by his wife Tun, Dr. Siti Hasmah Mohd Ali, will have a busy schedule on Wednesday and Thursday.
The Prime Minister met on his arrival with Thai Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak.
This is Mahathir's first official visit to Thailand since his comeback and became the seventh Malaysian Prime Minister in May after leading the coalition of political parties Pakatan Harapan (PH) to victory in the 14th general election (GE14).
In his previous term as the country's fourth Prime Minister from 1981 to 2003, he made five official visits to Thailand. The last took place in 2003, when he attended the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting in Bangkok.
Later on Wednesday, 93-year-old Dr. Mahathir will attend an official welcoming ceremony at the Government Gallery, after which he will hold a restricted bilateral meeting with Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o- cha, in the same place.
The two leaders will hold a joint press conference after the meeting. They are supposed to publish a joint statement.
Meanwhile, Prayut's wife, Naraporn Chan-o-cha, will welcome Dr. Siti Hasmah at a separate ceremony at the residence of Phitsanulok, the prime minister's official residence.
In the evening, Prayut will host a dinner in the honor of Dr. Mahathir and Dr. Siti Hasmah at Government House, which also houses the offices of the Thai Prime Minister and other Cabinet members.
On Thursday morning, Dr. Mahathir is expected to receive a courtesy call from Tan Sri Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi, chairman of TCC Group, one of Thailand's largest conglomerates.
Later, he will also hold a meeting with the Malaysia-Thailand Chamber of Commerce.
Just before noon, Dr. Mahathir is scheduled to meet his longtime friend, General Prem Tinsulanonda, Prime Minister of Thailand from 1980 to 1988, at his residence in Si Sao Thewes, Bangkok.
Prem, 98, is president of the Privy Council, an influential body of councilors to King Maha Vajiralongkorn.
In the afternoon, Dr. Mahathir will have a luncheon with the Malaysian diaspora in Thailand.
The prime minister will meet the Malaysian media before traveling to Chulalongkorn University to attend an event on ASEAN. Thailand will assume the presidency of ASEAN next year.
Dr. Mahathir will give a lecture on "Malaysia-Thailand Bilateral Relations in the ASEAN Context" before concluding his visit to Thailand and returning home. – Bernama
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