On 27 October 2026, Her Excellency Ms. Lada Phumas, Ambassador of Thailand to Malaysia, attended the 7th Ministerial Meeting of the Thailand - Malaysia Joint Development Strategy for Border Areas (JDS) and the 16th Ministerial Meeting of the Thailand - Malaysia Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation (JC), held at the Waldorf Astoria Bangkok, whereby His Excellency Mr. Sihasak Phuangketkeow, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, and YB Dato’ Seri Utama Haji Mohamad Hasan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia, co-chaired the Meetings with the participation of more than 100 representatives from relevant Thai and Malaysian agencies.

The two sides discussed ways to further strengthen Thailand - Malaysia bilateral relations and cooperation across all dimensions, while reviewing progress and accelerating the implementation of the outcomes of the 6th JDS Meeting and the 15th JC Meeting, held on 6 August 2024 in Kuala Lumpur, as well as the discussions between the Prime Ministers of Thailand and Malaysia during the former’s Official Visit to Malaysia on 9 - 10 July 2026, particularly on (1) Economic Cooperation, including trade, investment, the halal and rubber industries, tourism, the digital economy, and Thailand’s hosting of the 4th Joint Trade Committee (JTC) Meeting in 2027, with a view to achieve the bilateral trade target of USD 30 billion by 2027; (2) Infrastructure and Transport Connectivity to facilitate cross-border travel and goods transportation, strengthen business competitiveness and improve the well-being of people in both countries, including through the construction of the second Su-ngai Golok - Rantau Panjang Bridge, the revival of railway services between Su-ngai Golok and Rantau Panjang, extending the operating hours of border checkpoints, promoting connectivity between the Special Border Economic Zones (SBEZs) of the two countries, and the planned inaugural Joint Ministerial Committee on Thailand - Malaysia Transport Cooperation (JMC), among others, while welcoming the opening of the road alignment linking the new CIQ Sadao - ICQS Bukit Kayu Hitam on 10 July 2026; and (3) Security Cooperation through the utilisation of the Joint Working Committee on Security Cooperation (JWC-SC) as a policy-level platform for consultations on border security management, as well as supporting efforts to advance peace in Thailand’s Southern Border Provinces (SBCs) in order to ensure that people in the area enjoy peaceful and secure lives, with improved well-being and quality of life. The meetings also served as an important step towards the 8th Thailand - Malaysia Annual Consultation (AC), scheduled to be hosted by Thailand in 2027, which will coincide with the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between the two countries.

On the same day, the Ambassador also attended the bilateral meeting between the two Foreign Ministers, as well as the 10th Meeting of the JDS Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) and the 16th JC Senior Officials Meeting, co-chaired by Her Excellency Ms. Eksiri Pintaruchi, Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Thailand, and His Excellency Dato’ Syed Mohamad Hasrin Tengku Hussin, Deputy Secretary-General (Bilateral Affairs) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia. The Ambassador also attended a dinner hosted in honour of the Malaysian Foreign Minister and his delegation.