Thailand’s ‘Blue Diamond Affair’ jinxed its Saudi Arabia ties for decades. Can Prayuth’s visit lift the curse?

Prayuth Chan-ocha’s two-day visit to Saudi Arabia from Tuesday will be the first by a Thai prime minister to the Middle East kingdom in more than three decades

Their diplomatic feud, known as the ‘Blue Diamond Affair’, was sparked by a 1989 jewel theft that left a trail of murder, mystery and intrigue in its wake

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Prayuth Chan-ocha will become the first Thai prime minister to visit Saudi Arabia in more than three decades on Tuesday. Photo: Reuters

Published: 4:30pm, 24 Jan 2022

Thailand and Saudi Arabia will hold their first high-level talks in decades on Tuesday when Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha travels to Riyadh, more than 30 years after a diplomatic row over a US$20 million jewel theft soured relations.

The “Blue Diamond Affair”, as it became known, began with Thai cleaner Kriangkrai Techamong, who in 1989 stole a hoard of precious gems from the palace of his employer, Prince Faisal bin Fahd: the eldest son of King Fahd of Saudi Arabia.

Thai police later returned some of the jewels but Saudi officials claimed most were fakes, while the whereabouts of the most precious gem – a rare 50-carat blue diamond said to be the size of an egg – remains unknown.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman invited Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha for Tuesday’s state visit. Photo: AFP

Riyadh downgraded diplomatic relations with Bangkok following the incident and the spate of murders, abductions and mystery that followed were said to have been caused by a curse. In superstitious Thailand, precious stones are believed to carry with them certain powers that can bode good or evil.

Now, there is talk of the curse being lifted after Saudi Arabia’s de facto leader Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman invited Prayuth for Tuesday’s state visit – the first by a Thai leader to the Middle Eastern kingdom in more than three decades.

Termsak Chalermpalanupap, a visiting fellow in the Thailand Studies Programme of Singapore’s ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, said Prayuth “must have received prior information of some significant positive outcome awaiting him in Riyadh” to have agreed to such a trip amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Riyadh’s invitation signalled “Saudi Arabia’s new policy to normalise ties with Thailand” and was “most welcome, especially coming at a time when [Prayuth] is facing growing political difficulties at home,” he said.