MALAYSIAN KING ENDS STATE VISIT TO THAILAND

D. ARUL RAJOO

BANGKOK, March 12 (Bernama) -- Malaysian King Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin and
his consort Tuanku Nur Zahirah ended their four-day state visit to Thailand,
Thursday.

Bidding farewell to the royal couple at the Air Terminal, Royal Thai
Airforce Headquarters in Don Mueang were Thai Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn
and Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.

The Government jet carrying the King and Queen departed to Hanoi as they
begin a four-day state visit to Vietnam with Works Minister Mohd Zin Mohamed as
the minister-in-attendance.

His Majesty's visit, at the invitation of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, was the
first state visit to Thailand after Tuanku Mizan was elected as the 13th
Malaysian Supreme King for a five-year term on Dec 13, 2006 and is aimed at
further strengthening the friendship and cooperation that existed between the
two countries.

It was also the royal couple's third state visit to an Asean country, after
visiting Laos and Cambodia last year.

During the visit here, the royal couple had an audience with the King and
Queen of Thailand at the Boromabiman Mansion in the Grand Palace before the
world's longest reigning monarch hosted a state banquet in honour of Tuanku
Mizan and Tuanku Nur Zahirah.

At the banquet, Tuanku Mizan said although diplomatic ties between Malaysia
and Thailand spanned over 52 years, it had not truly reflected the close bond of
friendship and family ties between the Malays and Thais.

"As such, the relationship has to be further strengthened through the
exchange of visits between the royal families, political leaders, businessmen
and the ordinary people of both countries," he said.

They also granted audiences to Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva,
Parliament Speaker Chai Chidchob, and Wirat Limwichai, President of the Thai
Supreme Court, as well as visiting the Royal Chitralada Projects in Chitralada
Villa within the King's official residence that boasts of a rice field, a dairy
farm, a fish pond and dozens of factories.

Tuanku Mizan and Tuanku Nur Zahirah also attended a dinner with the
Malaysian community hosted by the Malaysian Embassy in Bangkok.

On Wednesday, Tuanku Mizan was conferred an honorary doctorate in Political
Science by the Prince of Songkhla University.
-- BERNAMA