On 28 May 2019, H.E. Dr. Tandi Dorji, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bhutan, met with H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand on the occasion of his visit to Thailand to attend the 75th Commission Session of United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).

 

Both sides were pleased that November 2019 will mark the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Thailand and Bhutan. Details regarding the activities to commemorate the said occasion will be further discussed. Furthermore, both sides discussed ways and means to strengthen bilateral ties between Thailand and Bhutan, especially in the areas of trade, investment, and tourism, through existing mechanisms such as the Joint Trade Committee (JTC), aiming to increase the bilateral trade volume and tourists between the two countries. 

 

The Bhutanese side thanked the Thai side for continued support in the area of technical and development cooperation. The Thai side reiterated its determination in continuing this cooperation in sectors that are most relevant to Bhutan’s development plan and in line with Thailand’s expertise, especially in the area of public health through: building the capacity of Bhutanese medical personnel; providing mobile medical clinics in remote areas of Bhutan; and developing healthcare infrastructure in Bhutan. 

 

The Thai side also expressed readiness to cooperate with Bhutan in further promoting the community-based products under One Gewog, One Product (OGOP) Development Project. Thailand is strengthening development partnership with Bhutan through the application of Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP) and Gross National Happiness (GNH) of Bhutan to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Both sides also agreed to enhance regional cooperation under regional frameworks of cooperation where both sides are members, particularly the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) and the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD).