Thai Labor Ready to Enter Saudi Market

Thai Minister of Labor Suchart Chomklin during his meeting at the Federation of Saudi Chambers. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Thai Minister of Labor Suchart Chomklin during his meeting at the Federation of Saudi Chambers. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Thai Labor Ready to Enter Saudi Market

Thai Minister of Labor Suchart Chomklin during his meeting at the Federation of Saudi Chambers. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Thai Minister of Labor Suchart Chomklin during his meeting at the Federation of Saudi Chambers. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Thai Ministry of Labor established a center specialized in rehabilitating and training workers in all professions, signaling the revival of relations and the entry of Thai labor into the Saudi market.

Thai Minister of Labor Suchart Chomklin stated that many Thai nationals work in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and many countries worldwide, given their skills in the health and industrial fields.

Speaking after roundtable talks held at the Federation of Saudi Chambers, Chomklin said his country's workers boast the relevant experience in fields in the Kingdom, especially in the hotel, health, and energy sectors, and that these areas will boost tourism and human development.

Vice President of the Federation of Saudi Chambers Tariq al-Haidari stressed that leaderships in both countries have a serious desire to continue consultation and coordination, especially regarding trade and investment.

Haidari asserted that Riyadh and Bangkok want to enhance cooperation that achieves ambitions and aspirations.

He stressed that the Federation of Saudi Chambers would continue its influential role in serving the private sector and developing relations with Thailand, taking advantage of the investment opportunities and benefits.

The Federation is working hard to overcome all obstacles in establishing joint commercial and industrial projects, believing that Thai companies will contribute to the success of Vision 2030 by expanding commercial and investment projects between the two countries.

Head of al-Shorouk Center for Economic Studies Abdul Rahman Baeshen expected the current discussions by the Thai Minister in Riyadh will contribute to concluding new agreements in the field of workforce in the future.

He explained that the agreements would boost the Thai labor recruitment market, especially for domestic and skilled labor.

Baeshen indicated that Thai labor is characterized by their high skill in various fields, expecting that the coming period will witness the recruitment of large numbers of domestic workers, which will be reflected in the economic, commercial, and investment cooperation between the two countries.

Both leaderships want to move their bilateral relationships forward into strategic partnerships, which will impact the future.



Washington Urges Israel to Extend Cooperation with Palestinian Banks

A West Bank Jewish settlement is seen in the background, while a protestor waves a Palestinian flag during a protest against Israel's separation barrier in the West Bank village of Bilin in 2012. (AP)
A West Bank Jewish settlement is seen in the background, while a protestor waves a Palestinian flag during a protest against Israel's separation barrier in the West Bank village of Bilin in 2012. (AP)
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Washington Urges Israel to Extend Cooperation with Palestinian Banks

A West Bank Jewish settlement is seen in the background, while a protestor waves a Palestinian flag during a protest against Israel's separation barrier in the West Bank village of Bilin in 2012. (AP)
A West Bank Jewish settlement is seen in the background, while a protestor waves a Palestinian flag during a protest against Israel's separation barrier in the West Bank village of Bilin in 2012. (AP)

The United States on Thursday called on Israel to extend its cooperation with Palestinian banks for another year, to avoid blocking vital transactions in the occupied West Bank.

"I am glad that Israel has allowed its banks to continue cooperating with Palestinian banks, but I remain convinced that a one-year extension of the waiver to facilitate this cooperation is needed," US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Thursday, on the sidelines of a meeting of G20 finance ministers in Rio de Janeiro.

In May, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich threatened to cut off a vital banking channel between Israel and the West Bank in response to three European countries recognizing the State of Palestine.

On June 30, however, Smotrich extended a waiver that allows cooperation between Israel's banking system and Palestinian banks in the occupied West Bank for four months, according to Israeli media, according to AFP.

The Times of Israel newspaper reported that the decision on the waiver was made at a cabinet meeting in a "move that saw Israel legalize several West Bank settlement outposts."

The waiver was due to expire at the end of June, and the extension permitted Israeli banks to process payments for salaries and services to the Palestinian Authority in shekels, averting a blow to a Palestinian economy already devastated by the war in Gaza.

The Israeli threat raised serious concerns in the United States, which said at the time it feared "a humanitarian crisis" if banking ties were cut.

According to Washington, these banking channels are key to nearly $8 billion of imports from Israel to the West Bank, including electricity, water, fuel and food.