On 12 May 2014, Mr. Peerasak Chantavarin, Ambassador of Thailand to Egypt, accompanied Mr.Chaturon Chaisang, Minister of Education, Police Colonel Tawee Sodsong, Secretary General of the Southern Border Provinces Administrative Centre (SBPAC), Mrs. Suthasri Wongsamarn, Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Education, and their delegation, to call on His Eminence Sheikh Ahmed El-Tayeb, Grand Imam Sheikh of Al-Azhar, to discuss ways and means to assist and support Thai students studying at Al-Azhar University, whose number accounts to about 2,500. The meeting also discussed the cooperation on education and religious affairs between the two countries.

On this occasion, the Thai Ambassador presented a cheque valued 30,000 USD as a donation from the Royal Thai Government to the Grand Imam to support the welfare and activities of Thai students studying at the Al-Azhar University.

Thailand has annually contributed such donation to Al-Azhar University for a number of years, with an aim to express gratitude to the university for providing good care and support to Thai students. Al-Azhar University,in return, allow Thai students to pay fee at a special rate in studying Arabic language class.