During 30 June - 2 July 2022, H.E. Mr. Vijavat Isarabhakdi, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of Thailand led the Thai delegation to Ireland to enhance bilateral relations between the two countries and push forward comprehensive cooperation in an integrated manner on the occasion that Ireland hosted Thailand – Ireland Political Consultations for the first time in Dublin, after the COVID-19 situation improved globally.

In this regard, the Thai Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs paid a courtesy call on H.E. Mr. Colm Brophy, Minister of State for Overseas Development Aid and Diaspora of Ireland on 1 July 2022. Both sides discussed opportunities to increase bilateral cooperation, especially in the areas of trade and investment, education and culture.  

On the same day, Mr. Asi Mamanee, Director General of the Department of European Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand co-chaired the 1st Thailand – Ireland Political Consultations with the two Irish co-chairs, namely Ms. Olivia Leslie, Asia Pacific Regional Director, for the first part of the meeting; and Ms. Sonja Hyland, Deputy Secretary General for Global Issues/Political Director, for the second part of the meeting. Ms. Urasa Mongkolnavin, Minister of the Royal Thai Embassy in London was also presented, together with the relevant Thai and Irish officials.

Both sides agreed to increase the exchange of high-level visits and discussed ways to enhance bilateral cooperation including economic cooperation, trade and the promotion of Ireland’s investment in the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC), especially in the areas of Ireland’s expertise such as pharmaceutical industry and medical equipment manufacture as well as cooperation in education. Furthermore, both sides exchanged views on multilateral and key international issues such as situations in Myanmar and Ukraine, multilateral cooperation under the framework of ASEAN and the United Nations.

During this visit to Ireland, the Thai delegation held meetings with two universities in Dublin, namely Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin (UCD) to discuss ways to enhance higher education cooperation, especially the support of the Irish side in form of scholarships for Thai students. At present, the UDC offers scholarships for Thai Master Degrees students, two scholarships annually, as part of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn scholarships program that was the result of Her Royal Highness’s visit to Ireland the previous year. The meetings with the Irish universities were also aimed at building a network of cooperation between Thai and Irish higher education institutes in order to support research and development in science, technology and innovation such as Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Technology, in which Ireland is specialized.

The official visit to Ireland of the Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs of Thailand and the 1st Thailand – Ireland Political Consultations marked a milestone in more than forty-year relations of the two nations. This will contribute to Thailand’s interest in various areas in particular Ireland’s potential areas to support the revival of the country from the COVID-19 crisis.