On February 1, Thailand's outgoing Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont expressed deep concern for China's continuous blizzard and extended sympathy and solicitude for the people in the affected areas.

Surayud told Xinhua at the prime minister's residence in Bangkok that he was worried when he learned that some parts of China have been hit by heavy rain and snow, and he was moved how the Chinese government and people joined efforts to fight the disaster.

Surayud said although Thailand, located in the tropics, never experienced a disaster of this kind, the Thai people's compassion for the affected Chinese people is deep and real, as the two peoples have been closely related like brothers. He noted that Thais were particularly concerned with the disaster facing the Chinese people in a time when Chinese descendants in Thailand are embracing the celebrations of the upcoming Chinese New Year on Feb. 7, while many Chinese people were stranded and prevented from getting their hometown in the most important Chinese traditional festival.

"I was particularly touched by the scenes from TV about how the Chinese government and people strived together to fight the disaster, particularly the reports that Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao went to the snow-hit areas to express his concern in person," said Surayud.

He also said he believed that the Chinese government will lead the people in joint efforts to defeat all obstacles brought by the disaster to see the economy and the people's life in affected areas return to normal track as soon as possible. He also extended congratulations for the Chinese Lunar New Year, or Spring Festival and expressed the wish that the Thailand-China friendship will be pushed to a new level in the new year.

On the same day, Thailand's Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Virasakdi Futrakul met with Chinese Ambassador to Thailand Zhang Jiuhuan, expressing Thai Foreign Ministry's great sympathy with the Chinese people in the disaster areas.