This morning, Monday, the Prime Minister of Thailand, His Excellency Mr. Srettha Thavisin, received Al-Azhar Grand Imam of and MCE Chairman, Prof. Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, to discuss ways to enhance joint cooperation. The two sides stressed the importance of urgent action to stop the aggression on Gaza and find a just solution to the Palestinian issue.

 

At the beginning of the meeting, the Thai Prime Minister expressed his country's appreciation for the Grand Imam, noting that this historic visit by His Eminence would contribute to strengthening constructive cooperation between Thailand and Al-Azhar Al-Sharif. He explained that Thai students studying at Al-Azhar contribute positively to the development witnessed by Thai society, stressing that the meetings and events attended by the Grand Imam during his visit were warmly welcomed and celebrated by all people of Thailand.

 

The Thai Prime Minister praised the efforts of Al-Azhar Al-Sharif and the Muslim Council of Elders led by the Grand Imam in spreading and promoting the values of dialogue, tolerance and coexistence, stressing that his country seeks to enhance cooperation with Al-Azhar Al-Sharif in a way that contributes to promoting world peace.

 

His Eminence, for his part, expressed his appreciation for the Kingdom of Thailand, its leadership and people, praising the Thai students studying at Al-Azhar Al-Sharif. He stressed Al-Azhar’s readiness to increase the number of scholarships provided to them and increase the number of envoys to Thailand, adding that Al-Azhar is keen to intensify training courses for Thai imams to qualify them to deal with the challenges and issues that concern their communities in a manner that is consistent with the nature of Thai society. He also pointed out Al-Azhar Al-Sharif’s readiness to establish a center for teaching the Arabic language in Thailand.

 

His Eminence the Grand Imam called for the necessity of intensifying international efforts to support the Palestinian cause, end the aggression on the Gaza Strip, and stop the bloodshed of innocent civilians. The Thai Prime Minister expressed his support for the positions of His Eminence calling for finding a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue that has been ongoing for decades, saying: “We are with you and with humanity in order to end this crisis, noting that Thailand is keen to support the Palestinian people to obtain their just and legitimate rights.”

 

His Eminence the Grand Imam has concluded his official visit to Thailand today, Monday, during which he met with His Majesty the King of Thailand, His Excellency the Prime Minister, as well as the Speaker of the Thai Parliament, and several leaders, officials, and the Muslim community in Thailand. This was the second stop on his tour of Southeast Asia, which includes Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia.