When Diplomacy Hits a Whole New Level: Thailand and Singapore PMs Sing ‘Let It Be’ Together

BANGKOK, Sep 3: Diplomacy took a musical turn in Bangkok this week as Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong and Thailand Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul joined forces for an impromptu performance at an official dinner.

Wong played the guitar while Anutin took the microphone during the dinner at Government House on September 2, following the fifth Thailand-Singapore Leaders’ Retreat. The two leaders performed The Beatles’ “Let It Be” and Bob Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind”, in a light-hearted conclusion to a day of official engagements.

The dinner was hosted by Anutin and his wife in honour of Wong and his wife during the Singapore prime minister’s official visit to Thailand.

The musical performance followed talks focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation in areas including energy and food security, the digital economy, defence, supply chains and efforts to combat transnational crime.

The meeting was the first Thailand-Singapore Leaders’ Retreat in 11 years. The two countries also adopted a joint statement outlining a forward-looking strategic partnership and discussed closer coordination ahead of their respective ASEAN chairmanships.

For one evening, however, the formal talks gave way to guitars and classic songs, as the two prime ministers shared a relaxed musical moment.