PM Lee congratulates Thai army chief on prime minister appointment

SINGAPORE - Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has written to congratulate Thailand's new prime minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on his appointment.

The chief of Thailand's army was the only name nominated for the prime minister's post, the Straits Times reported.

In his letter, PM Lee wished the new Thai prime minister success as he assumed the "heavy responsibility of restoring stability and bringing about reconciliation among the Thai people".

Here is the letter PM Lee wrote to Thailand's new prime minister:

Dear Prime Minister,

On behalf of the Government and the people of the Republic of Singapore, I extend my congratulations and best wishes on your appointment as Thailand's Prime Minister by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

I wish you every success as you take on the heavy responsibility of restoring stability and bringing about reconciliation among the Thai people.

Singapore and Thailand enjoy excellent bilateral relations, underpinned by wide-ranging cooperation and longstanding friendships between our peoples. We also work closely at regional and international fora, especially ASEAN.

I look forward to working with you for the benefit of our two countries and the region. I hope that you will take the time to make an introductory visit to Singapore soon.

Yours sincerely,

LEE HSIEN LOONG

ljessica@sph.com.sg