Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Thailand enhanced Thailand-Japan cooperation in bilateral, Mekong sub-regional, ASEAN and regional frameworks for the post COVID-19 economic recovery and looked forward to an early conclusion of the Special Arrangement between Thailand and Japan to facilitate short-term essential travel for business persons, specified skilled workers and technical professionals of the two countries at the meeting with H.E. Mr. Nashida Kazuya, Ambassador of Japan to Thailand, on the occasion of the former’s assumption of duty

On 24 November 2020, Mr. Thani Thongphakdi, Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Thailand, welcomed H.E. Mr. Nashida Kazuya, Ambassador of Japan to Thailand, during a courtesy call on the occasion of the former’s assumption of duty. Both sides discussed various issues to promote the relations between Thailand and Japan and agreed to revitalise key bilateral mechanisms with the view to strengthening bilateral relations in a comprehensive manner. These include the Thailand-Japan High Level Joint Commission (HLJC), a high-level mechanism to discuss economic-related issues between Thailand and Japan, and the Japan-Thailand Political Partnership Consultations (JTPPC), a consultative forum between the Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Thailand and the Senior Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan. In this regard, Ambassador of Japan also extended an invitation to Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Thailand to visit Japan under the Strategic Exchanges on Practical Level (STEP) programme at a mutually convenient date in 2021 and as the COVID-19 situation improves.

Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Thailand expressed Thailand’s readiness to cooperate with Japan in revitalising the economy from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and looked forward to an early conclusion of the Special Arrangement between Thailand and Japan to facilitate short-term essential travel for business persons, specified skilled workers and technical professionals of the two countries. The Japanese side also reaffirmed full support to Thailand in joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Thailand also exchanged views on regional issues and the Mekong sub-region with the Ambassador of Japan during which the Japanese side invited the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand to attend the Mekong-Japan Summit in Tokyo in 2021 and expressed readiness to work closely with the Thai side during Thailand’s coordinatorship of ASEAN–Japan relations in 2021-2024.

In addition, both sides supported commencing discussion on the negotiation of Treaty on Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters (MLAT) between Thailand and Japan to strengthen cooperation in the prevention of transnational crimes.