Joining more than 100 countries who far have endorsed the Palestinians’ independent statehood, Thailand on Thursday recognized a Palestinian state along pre-1967 lines

Joining more than 100 countries who far have endorsed the Palestinians’ independent statehood, Thailand on Thursday recognized a Palestinian state along pre-1967 lines, Thailand’s envoy to the United Nations officially announced.

Bangkok's mission at the UN in New York said in a letter that it "officially recognized the state of Palestine and has initiated the process to establish and formalize diplomatic relations" with it at the earliest opportunity, official PA news agency WAFA reported.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas subsequently thanked the east Asian country for this position.

PA Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki called the recognition "an achievement for Palestinian diplomacy" and noted it was the first such recognition of 2012, according to WAFA. He said officials in Ramallah would be in contact with Thai diplomats to determine the nature of relations between the two countries.

US and the Israeli occupation have opposed any recognition of a Palestinian state not based on the outcome of negotiations.