Thais need to learn more about Malaysia as better people-to-people relationships can help deepen ties between the two countries, former envoys say.
"Thailand and Malaysia have a good but 'quiet' relationship," said Suchitra Hiranpruek, a former Thai ambassador to Malaysia who served between 1997-2001. "They know us better than we know them."
Ms Suchitra said the government should encourage more civic cooperation to improve bilateral ties.
"When I was posted to Malaysia, I believed that we must encourage more exchanges," she said yesterday.
"I decided to reach out to some 60,000 Thai expats in Malaysia -- a move that could still be done today, albeit with caution to avoid unintended consequences."
Ms Suchitra made the remarks at the launch of a book to mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Thailand and Malaysia, which fell on Aug 31, 2017.
Piyawat Niyomrerks, the Thai ambassador to Malaysia from 2007-2009, suggested the government use Thai expats as "cultural ambassadors" to raise awareness of Malaysia and its culture.
"The Foreign Ministry can encourage them to learn more about Malaysia to raise our own awareness of our immediate neighbour," he said.
The commemorative book, Selamat Sawasdee, features interviews with 18 former ambassadors to Thailand and Malaysia.
"We are very close, but we don't know anything about one another," said Chiranan Pitpreecha, the SEA Write award-winning writer.
"Among our similarities are the Mak Yong traditional dance, Wau Bulan kites, poetry, and desserts."
Chiranan said the book will provide an overview of diplomatic relations as well as stories of ordinary people.
"Some of these pictures are really old, but readers will learn about many things they never knew before," she said.
