Thailand celebrates ‘supportive’ relationship with North Korea

Thailand celebrated 40 years of diplomatic relations with North Korea this month.

The two nations released commemorative postage stamps featuring their national birds, the Northern Goshawk and Siamese fireback, meaning citizen-internees of the DPRK can swell with pride when their pre-opened mail shows up three months late.

“We support human causes in the DPRK,” Thai diplomat Cherdchai Chaivaivid said uncomfortably in an interview with state broadcaster NBT World. “Both countries support each other in the international community.”

The news report highlights diplomatic exchanges and an abiding mutual love of acrobatics and football.

“While both parties still seek ways to develop better relations, respecting each other’s political circumstance,” the NBT reporter said, pregnant with anticipation for another clause that never arrives.

Highlights:

  • DPRK opened an embassy in Bangkok in 1991

  • Still no Thai embassy in Pyongyang

  • Thailand is one of North Korea’s top trading partners

  • In 2011, that trade amounted to USD62 million

  • In 2011, trade with South Korea amounted to USD13.7 billion

Photo: Courtesy Promex



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