Bangkok: Malaysia's Finance Minister II Amir Hamzah Azizan and Thailand's Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Dr Ekniti Nitithanprapas have met in Bangkok to discuss current economic developments and strengthen cooperation between Malaysia and Thailand. According to BERNAMA News Agency, the bilateral meeting took place at Thailand's Ministry of Finance and provided an opportunity for both sides to exchange views on economic developments, as mentioned by Amir Hamzah in a post on X. Also present at the meeting was Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) Governor Abdul Rasheed Ghaffour. Amir Hamzah stated that the discussions helped further strengthen relations and economic cooperation between Malaysia and Thailand. Both countries have set a target to increase bilateral trade to US$30 billion (US$1=RM3.94) by 2027, focusing on areas such as cross-border trade, the halal industry, and rubber. Infrastructure projects like the Second Rantau Panjang-Sungai Golok Bridge and the ICQS Bukit Kayu Hitam-CIQ Sadao road align ment are expected to enhance trade, investment, and tourism between the two nations. Amir Hamzah and Abdul Rasheed were in Bangkok to attend the Asia 2050 Conference, organised by the Bank of Thailand in collaboration with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The conference brought together experts, policymakers, and industry leaders from across the region to promote knowledge exchange and innovative thinking on the region's future challenges and opportunities.