H.E. Mr. Joseph Anthony Cotter, Ambassador of Ireland to Thailand, paid a courtesy call on H.E. Mr. Thani Thongphakdi, Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Thailand, on the occasion of the assumption of duty of the Permanent Secretary on 24 November 2021.

Both sides appreciated close and cordial relationship between Thailand and Ireland with more enhanced cooperation, despite slight disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Both sides were determined to hold the 1st Political Consultations between Thailand and Ireland in Dublin next year, as well as to move forward bilateral cooperation, particularly in the people-to-people exchanges between the two countries. Furthermore, both sides discussed cooperation in education which is one of the Ireland’s strengths, and mutual interests of both countries. Ireland has long provided scholarships to Thai students for graduate studies in Ireland, and is also looking into investment opportunities in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) of Thailand.

On multilateral front, both sides discussed enhanced cooperation within the frameworks of the ASEAN-EU and Thai-EU cooperation, in particular, with regard to the early conclusion of the Thai-EU Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) as well as the early resumption of the Thai-EU FTA negotiations. In addition, in response to Ambassador Cotter’s inquiries about Thailand’s chairmanship of APEC in 2022, the Permanent Secretary informed Ambassador Cotter of Thailand’s priorities under Thailand’s APEC chairmanship.