Thailand, Saudi Arabia Restore Full Ties After Row Over 50-Carat Blue Diamond
- Agreement to restore ties follow Prayuth’s visit to Riyadh
- Prayuth regrets tragic cases that soured relations with Saudi
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Thailand and Saudi Arabia agreed to restore full diplomatic relations for the first time in more than three decades with Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-Ocha expressing regret over a series of “tragic cases” involving a 50-carat blue diamond that had soured ties.
The two countries agreed to appoint ambassadors in the near future and work on bilateral cooperation in a “historic breakthrough,” according to a joint statement issued after Prayuth’s meeting with Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman in Riyadh on Tuesday. His visit was the first by a Thai leader since ties were severed due to a jewelry heist in 1989 and subsequent murder of three Saudi diplomats.