Australian governor-general to visit Thailand, strengthening ties

The longstanding ties between Thailand and Australia are set to be celebrated as Governor-General of Australia David John Hurley prepares for a visit to Thailand from February 13 to 17.

The visit, as reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, promises to be a significant event in the annals of both nations.

The itinerary of the visit includes a royal audience with His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua and Her Majesty Queen Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana. This encounter is eagerly anticipated as David John Hurley and the King share a unique bond, having been classmates at the Royal Military College, Duntroon, from 1972 to 1975. This personal connection is seen as a reflection of the deep-rooted friendship between the two nations.

“Australia is proud of our close relationship with Thailand. It is a friendship that spans many areas of cooperation and is based on mutual respect, trust and understanding. I am looking forward to celebrating and strengthening that relationship.”

The Governor-General’s visit also includes an audience with the Supreme Patriarch of Thailand. There will also be a meeting with Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin and other Cabinet members. An integral part of the visit is a trip to the Doi Tung Development Project and the Mekong-Australia Partnership climate resilience project site in Chiang Rai. This will provide an opportunity to understand how both nations are collaborating to exploit new opportunities and tackle challenges, reported Bangkok Post.

During this visit, the role of Administrator of the Government of Australia will be undertaken by Margaret Beazley, the Governor of New South Wales.

In related news, hopes of a swift reconciliation between Australia and China were shattered on Monday when a Beijing court handed down a death sentence to Australian citizen Yang Hengjun, a prominent pro-democracy activist and writer born in China.

The court’s verdict, on February 5, which found Yang guilty of espionage, stunned Australia, especially considering the recent release of Australian journalist Cheng Lei in October last year after three years in prison.