On 23 November 2011, on his official visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Foreign Minister of Thailand, H.E. Mr. Surapong Tovichakchaikul, accompanied by Energy Minister H.E. Mr. Pichai Naripthaphan, was granted an audience with His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the UAE, and called on Mr. Mohamed bin Dha’en Al Hamili, Minister of Energy of the UAE.              On the bilateral discussion with the UAE Foreign Minister, Foreign Minister Surapong reiterated Thailand’s readiness to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries and extended an invitation to the UAE Foreign Minister to visit Thailand next year. In response, the UAE Foreign Minister accepted the invitation with pleasure and advised that the possible time be next year.  Both sides would take the opportunity to hold the Thai-UAE Joint Commission Meeting and discuss matters of interest during the visit.                 The UAE Foreign Minister expressed condolences for the flood situation in Thailand.  In this connection, the Thai Foreign Minister informed his counterpart that the situation has improved and that the Thai Government has expeditiously implemented recovery and rehabilitation measures to assist affected sectors. The Thai Foreign Minister also reiterated that most areas in Bangkok and other tourist destinations such as Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Krabi, Phuket and Samui have not been affected by the floods and remained open to tourists. Consequently, he requested the UAE side to consider removing UAE’s travel advisory for Thailand.                    Foreign Minister Surapong also expressed appreciation to the UAE side for providing scholarships for Thai students to pursue masters-level study in seven areas at Masdar Institute of Science and Technology as well as lifting the ban on importation of poultry products from Thailand in September this year.                   On tourism, the UAE Foreign Minister commended the quality of medical services in Thailand, which was highly popular among UAE citizens and requested the Thai side to consider extending the visa period of stay in the Kingdom for UAE citizens wishing to visit Thailand for medical treatments. Similarly, Foreign Minister Surapong requested the UAE side to consider issuing visas on arrival for Thai citizens arriving at UAE airports. Additionally, both sides agreed to expedite the agreement on visa exemption for diplomatic and official passport holders.                      With regard to energy issues, the Thai side expressed appreciation to the UAE side for the continued support extended to Thailand.  The UAE is Thailand’s top oil import source, accounting for around 48 percent of all crude oil imported from the Middle East and around 35 percent from the world. UAE is therefore an important partner for Thailand in the area of energy security, likewise Thailand is also an important partner for UAE in terms of food security, particularly Halal food.                     In the meeting with the UAE Minister of Energy, the Thai side congratulated the UAE on its recent election as the incoming Chairman of the Council of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). The Agency has helped member countries promote renewable energy technology and further cooperation among its membership. Currently, Thailand is an observer in the IRENA and will join the IRENA as a member in the near future once domestic constitutional procedures completed.  In this regard, the Thai side also extended an invitation to interested investors and individuals from UAE to explore joint business opportunities in Thailand in the areas of alternative energy and commercial technology development.  In this regard, the UAE side also expressed interest in the construction of deep sea ports and the Southern Land Bridge Project.                     The Thai side also noted that energy consumption in Thailand was set to increase and that the Thai Government attached importance to energy security, with Thailand promoting investments in exploration and production of oil and natural gas in Thailand and abroad, and the importation of liquid natural gas as well as in the areas of energy conservation and efficiency.

                    The Thai Ministers also visited Masdar City in order to learn about its activities and were briefed by its executive officers. The Thai delegation expressed their interest in cooperating with Masdar in the near future.