It was not just about MoUs, trade deals, official lunches and bilateral talks– Thailand Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s Malaysian visit also saw a musical performance that quietly went viral on social media. A video circulating on social media, which showed Charnvirakul passionately playing a saxophone, while Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim joined in by singing classics like “My Way” and “Can’t Help Falling in Love”. The two were on an official lunch on Thursday, July 09. The event was held in Kuala Lumpur.
The video instantly turned into everyone’s favorite, as netizens pointed out the rarity of seeing political leaders getting involved in celebrations in such a manner. Many also hailed the skills of the duo.
🎷Saxophone Diplomacy: Thai PM Anutin Charnvirakul plays the saxophone and croons with Malaysian PM @anwaribrahim. Listen to them sing "My Way" and "Can't Help Falling in Love" at an official luncheon during the Thai leader's visit in Kuala Lumpur earlier today. pic.twitter.com/tOkf5EMVOL
— Saksith Saiyasombut | ศักดิ์สิทธิ์ ไสยสมบัติ (@SaksithCNA) July 9, 2026
The Thailand PM is currently on a two-day official visit to Malaysia. The visit aims to “boost economic cooperation” and smooth “longstanding border issues between the Southeast Asian neighbours”, as per Reuters.
As per Reuters, the two leaders also witnessed the exchange of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Thailand’s Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Suriya Juangroongruangkit, and Malaysia’s Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Mohamad Sabu. The MoU was signed at the Federal Government office of Perdana Putra in Putrajaya, Malaysia, on Thursday, July 09.
Coming back to the rather unforgettable lunch, the Malaysian PM also shared pictures of the event on his social media handle. “We attended a luncheon event enlivened by cultural performances and artistic heritage that reflect the richness of traditions and the diversity of cultures that are the pride of Malaysia and Thailand,” the Malaysian PM’s post read.
“This space continues to be used to strengthen ties of friendship, while also fostering a deeper understanding of the unique cultural aspects and shared values between the two countries,” the post concluded.
Kami menghadiri majlis makan tengah hari yang diserikan dengan persembahan kebudayaan dan warisan seni mencerminkan kekayaan tradisi serta kepelbagaian budaya yang menjadi kebanggaan Malaysia dan Thailand. Ruangan ini terus digunakan untuk memperkukuh hubungan persahabatan, di… pic.twitter.com/ftySRkxdTb
— Anwar Ibrahim (@anwaribrahim) July 9, 2026
As per Reuters, the two leaders’ visit came amid renewed security concerns following a recent spike in violence tied to the decades-old separatist insurgency in Thailand’s predominantly Malay-Muslim southern border provinces.