Summary of Weekly Press Briefing by

Director-General of Department of Information/Spokesperson of MFA

Thursday 7 March 2024 at 14.30 hrs.

Press Conference Room, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and MFA FB Live

1. Updates on the situation in Israel-Gaza

• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has closely monitored the situation in Israel-Gaza, expressing concern, including with the recent attacks in northern Israel, and the condition of the 2 injured still being treated in the hospital. The Royal Thai Embassy in Tel Aviv has been visiting them since the first day of the incident, and has been following up with the medical team in order to keep their relatives regularly informed of their condition.
• The Embassy in Tel Aviv has earlier requested the Israeli side to expedite the survey of any remaining Thai workers in the Red Zone of the Israel-Lebanon border in order to assist with their immediate evacuation to safer areas. In mid-February, the Embassy had also coordinated with the Israeli side to help evacuate 14 Thais from the Red Zone in the northern town of Metula.
• The Embassy in Tel Aviv has encouraged all Thais in Israel to register with the Embassy, and those who need assistance can reach the Embassy via RTE’s facebook or at the following telephone numbers: +972 546368150, +972 503673195 or email: [email protected].
• The Thai Government has continuously stressed with all relevant parties the need to expedite ceasefire talks and the immediate release of hostages.
• Yesterday (6 March), the Ministry issued a statement on Thailand’s concerns over the situation in Israel-Gaza. (Read more at
  https://www.mfa.go.th/en/content/statement-concerns-israel-gaza-situation-2)
• This morning (7 March), the Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs (VFM) had a discussion with Mr. Ariel Seidman, Chargé d'Affaires, a.i. of the Embassy of Israel in Bangkok. Gist as follows:
  • The VFM stressed that Thailand has been closely following the ongoing situation in Israel-Gaza. The Thai side is especially concerned with the most recent incident in northern Israel, which has resulted in the loss of innocent lives, including injuries of 5 Thai workers. He also added that the Government has requested the Israeli side to ensure the safety of Thai workers in Israel, particularly in preventing any Thai nationals from working in unsafe areas, where there are still security concerns.
  • The VFM underlined the Government’s deep concern for the fate of the remaining Thai hostages and its continuous efforts to secure release of these 8 Thai nationals. He added that Thailand calls on all sides to exert full efforts to move the ongoing talks forward to reach a humanitarian ceasefire, release all hostages of all nationalities, end the loss of lives, and allow greater access for humanitarian assistance to alleviate the plight of the Palestinian people in Gaza.
•  In addition, the Thai Ambassador to Israel is in constant coordination with the Israeli authorities responsible for hostage negotiations.

2. Outcomes of the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit (4-6 Mar 24)

• On 4-6 March 2024, the Prime Minister, along with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, visited Melbourne, Australia, to attend the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit to Commemorate the 50th Anniversary of ASEAN-Australia Dialogue Relations. They also held bilateral meetings with leaders and business executives on this occasion.
• Key Outcomes
  • The Plenary Session exchanged views on the direction of ASEAN-Australia cooperation. The Prime Minister pushed for seamless connectivity in all dimensions and said that Thailand welcomed Australia’s initiatives, including the establishment of the ASEAN-Australia Centre in Canberra, the New Australia Scholarship Programme, and visa facilitation for businesses and frequent travellers, among others.
  • The Retreat discussed regional and international issues. The Prime Minister reiterated Thailand’s goal of a shared vision for the future of the Indo-Pacific region. He also highlighted Thailand’s regional and international roles, notably the Initiative along the Thai-Myanmar Border, and raised concerns over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
• Other activities:
  • The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs joined the Prime Minister’s program in:
    • Bilateral meetings with the Prime Ministers of Australia, New Zealand, Lao PDR, and Malaysia.
    • Meetings with executives of 6 leading Australian companies aligned with Thailand’s target industries to invite them to invest and increase their presence in Thailand, as well as to consider Thailand as their investment hub.
  • Separate program of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs:
    • A bilateral meeting with the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia;
    • A site visit at Toyota Australia to discuss future cooperation in the vehicle sector and hydrogen-driven vehicles;
    • A visit to Melbourne Zoo to see 8 Thai elephants

3. Nakhon Ratchasima elected to host “Korat Expo 2029”

• The Ministry congratulates Nakhon Ratchasima province or Korat on being chosen on 6 March as the host city of the Horticultural International Expo in 2029 or “Korat Expo 2029” by the 2024 General Meeting of the International Association of Horticultural Produce (AIPHA) held in Doha, Qatar.
• Korat Expo 2029 will be held under the theme “Nature and Greenery: Envisioning the Green Future” during 10 November 2029 – 28 February 2030. The event is expected to attract 2.6-4 million visitors, create around 36,000 jobs and generate more than 18,900 million baht for the economy.

Other matters: Warning to watch out for scams impersonating government offices

• The Ministry warns Thai nationals, both in Thailand and abroad, to be aware of call center scams and individuals who impersonate officials from the Department of Consular Affairs (DCA) and encourage victims to consent to issuing a “new version” of their Thai passport, requesting them to download a fake DCA mobile app that will in fact, steal personal information instead. The real DCA applications and Line Channel is “Thai Consular”, not “Thai Consulars”
• The Ministry and its consular agencies have no policy to directly call Thai nationals regarding any new version of the Thai passports, or to access personal information over the phone.

Watch full session: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/QTi6PkGUevMMxJjS/?

* * * * * * * * * *