INDONESIA and Thailand agreed today to elevate their relationship to a strategic partnership during the first state visit by an Indonesian president in 20 years and agreed to push for greater trade and investment.

President Prabowo Subianto, who took power last year, was welcomed by Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra at Government House in Bangkok.

As is traditional, the two leaders reviewed an honour guard before heading inside to hold bilateral talks on the future shape of their relationship.

Mr Subianto’s visit also coincided with the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Mr Paetongtarn said that the two countries agreed to boost cooperation in various fields including trade and investment, tourism and food security.

The decision to elevate the two countries’ relations to strategic partnership “reflects our shared commitment to strengthen co-operation in several aspects on issues of mutual interest to the people of both countries,” Mr Paetongtarn said in a statement.

They also discussed defence and security issues, which include “enhancing maritime security collaboration, strengthening counterterrorism efforts, bolstering cybersecurity cooperation, increasing joint military exercises and fostering defence industry partnerships,” Mr Subianto said in his speech.

Mr Paetongtarn said that Thai and Indonesian police would strengthen co-operation in suppressing transnational crimes, especially online scams, human trafficking and drug trafficking.

Dozens of Indonesians earlier this year were freed from scam centres in Myanmar and repatriated through Thailand, in part of a large-scale regional crackdown effort.

Hundreds of thousands of people are believed to have been lured to work in the region to commit global scams through false romances, bogus investment pitches and illegal gambling schemes.

Many of the workers were recruited under false pretences, only to find themselves trapped in virtual slavery.

Ministers from both countries also signed a memorandum of understanding on health co-operation in a number of fields including prevention and control of communicable diseases and medical tourism.