The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand will host the 4^th Thailand –Pacific Island Countries Forum (TPIF) on 20 – 21 May 2016 under the theme “Thailand – Pacific Island Countries: Putting Ideas to Action Towards Sustainable Development”. H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Minister of Foreign Affairs, will preside over the opening ceremony on 21 May 2016 at Hotel Amari Watergate.

         The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has extended invitations to delegations from 14 Pacific Island Countries, the Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu, most of whom are attending the 73^rd session of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) Meeting.

          Observers from Australia and New Zealand Embassies along with other International Organizations such as FAO, UNDP, WHO, and the Pacific Island Forum Secretariat are also invited to participate in the platform to achieve its aim of promoting the framework of development cooperation between Thailand and the countries in South Pacific region.

          Since the 1^st TPIF meeting in 2014, this forum has been serving as an arena for high – level delegations of Thailand and Pacific Island Countries to exchange views, share experiences of best practices as well as to deepen and broaden development cooperation between both sides.

          The 4^th TPIF will be a high – level meeting aims to maintain the positive momentum of Thailand – Pacific Islands relations and build on partnership and cooperation through concrete actions focusing on areas that will significantly contribute to the development of Thailand’s Pacific Island partners, as well as to exchange views on sustainable and social development in order to further promote future cooperation.

          This year, delegations will have the opportunity to visit one of the biggest industrial parks in Thailand at Wyncoast Industrial Park (PLC) and learn about sustainable agricultural development at one of the Royal Development Project (The Agricultural Experimentation Project of Two Water).

          Being one of the twelve dialogue partners in the Post – Forum Dialogue (PFD) and an active participant of the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), Thailand has enjoyed cordial ties with Pacific Island partners in both bilateral and multilateral levels. Thailand has been a long – standing development partner of this region through development cooperation programmes, particularly on agricultural and fisheries, as well as human resources development.

          Thailand reiterates her commitment to this region in sharing experiences and best practices in the areas that will most contribute to the sustainable development and prosperity of oThailand’s Pacific Island partners in the spirit of South –South Cooperation.