On Monday, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto paid a two-day official visit to Thailand, where he met with His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn (Rama X) and Prime Minister of the Kingdom Phetongthan Shinawatra. This is the first official visit of an Indonesian president to this country in the last 20 years. Prabowo Subianto's visit also coincided with the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Prabowo had previously visited Thailand as the elected president and defense minister in September last year on the eve of his inauguration. Even then, the politician did not hide the fact that Thailand, along with Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines, would be an important partner in the implementation of the foreign policy of the new administration.
The Indonesian President is friends with the father of the current Prime Minister, a famous businessman and politician, and former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, and Prabowo's son is Parisian fashion designer Didit Hediprasetyo, one of the personal designers of the Shinawatra family.
Amid Donald Trump's tariff wars and the growing confrontation between China and the United States, Indonesia is seriously concerned about the stability of ASEAN and its central role. Jakarta's strategy continues the course of ASEAN Chair Malaysia to strengthen cooperation between the countries of the region and coordinate their common position on key issues. Prabowo is also concerned about securitization issues, so he does not abandon the idea of a broad defense alliance, which he no longer openly declares.
Upon arrival in Bangkok, Prabowo was received by His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn (Rama X) of Thailand and Her Majesty Queen Suthida Vajiralongkorn of Thailand. The monarch and the president shook hands warmly and discussed their military backgrounds and love of flying (Prabowo is a veteran of the special forces and a parachutist, while the royal couple of Thailand are famous pilots of the Royal Air Force). The meeting between President Prabowo and King Rama X at the Amphorn Royal Palace was held behind closed doors for both Indonesian journalists and their colleagues working in the Royal Palace and the Prime Minister's Office. In an official statement, the Royal Court praised the visit of the Indonesian president.
Prabowo then went to Government House in Bangkok, where he met with the country's Prime Minister Phetongthan Shinawatra. The two sides discussed expanding cooperation in the context of the new mechanism for consultations at the level of leaders. The prime minister noted the significant potential for increasing trade between the two countries and announced plans to hold the first ministerial meeting of the Thai-Indonesian Joint Trade Committee in Thailand. It is expected that this will help to ease barriers and strengthen economic cooperation against the backdrop of tariff restrictions of the US administration. It is also mentioned that the parties paid attention to strengthening economic integration within ASEAN.
What is especially important and noteworthy is that following the meeting, Indonesia and Thailand agreed to raise the level of their relations to the level of strategic partnership. Prabowo's separate success can be considered the agreements reached in the field of defense and security, including strengthening cooperation in maritime security, strengthening measures to combat terrorism, strengthening cooperation in cybersecurity, increasing the number of joint military exercises and strengthening partnerships in the defense industry.
The ministers of both countries signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation in the field of health, which covers areas such as the prevention and control of infectious diseases, as well as medical tourism.
The ongoing crisis in Myanmar was also discussed during the meeting. Prabowo noted Thailand's constructive role, especially in engaging neighboring countries in finding a peaceful solution to the situation in Myanmar and facilitating dialogue between all parties. He stressed the importance of an inclusive national dialogue that contributes to achieving peace and stability in Myanmar, as well as the importance of maintaining unity and the central role of ASEAN in resolving this issue.
It is also interesting that Prabowo expressed support for Thailand's aspirations to join BRICS and Indonesia's readiness to help advance Thailand's bid within the association.
On May 19, Prabowo, accompanied by officials and an honor guard, completed his state visit and headed to Jakarta, flying out of the Don Mueang Royal Thai Air Force Base.
The visit can be assessed more than positively, since Prabowo, after a number of domestic political problems in Indonesia and the foreign policy crisis with Trump's tariffs, returned to his original plan for regional consolidation. Earlier, during the visit of General Secretary of the CPV Central Committee To Lam to Indonesia, the parties reached an agreement to upgrade relations between Vietnam and Indonesia to a comprehensive strategic partnership. Now another significant regional actor, Thailand, has become a strategic partner.
On the eve of the ASEAN summit in Malaysia, Indonesia’s strategic steps, as one of the Association’s leading countries, are especially important in terms of strengthening regional stability. (red)
