However, the connections between the two countries and their peoples can be traced back long before March 7, 1950, to the ancient kingdom of Sriwijaya and to the relations between the Majapahit and Ayutthaya kingdoms. The peoples of this region, which became Indonesia and Thailand, were shaped by their common roots in Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam.

The presence of Masjid (mosque) Jawa and Masjid Indonesia in Bangkok is testament to the historical bond between Indonesia and Thailand, highlighting the shared heritage of Indonesian Muslims who migrated to Thailand in the 19^th and 20^th centuries.

The first trip of King Chulalongkorn, or the “Thai Reformer King”, to Java in 1871 symbolized these burgeoning relations. His Majesty repeated the visit in 1896 and 1901, because he felt that “there is nowhere else as good and as friendly as Java”. Today, the bronze elephant statue that King Chulalongkorn gifted to the people of Java still stands tall in front of the National Museum in Central Jakarta.

The successive reciprocal state visits of King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great (King Rama IX) and Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother to Indonesia in 1960 and presidents Sukarno and Soeharto to Thailand in 1961 and 1970, respectively, reflected the closeness of our two countries’ relationship. In the decades since, high-level visits would play a pivotal role in shaping Indonesia-Thai relations.

Standing side by side, Thailand played a supportive role in Indonesia's struggle for independence. This support helped strengthen the bond between the two nations and contributed to their long-standing friendship.

Our countries’ collective drive for peace, solidarity and cooperation in the region would also prevail and in 1967, make us into the founding members of ASEAN.