Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs had a bilateral meeting with Vice President and Head of Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of the Swiss Confederation, highlighting the 90 years of friendship between Thailand and the Swiss Confederation and promoting cooperation on public health and investment of Swiss private sectors in Thailand, free trade agreement, sustainable development, consular cooperation and people-to-people exchange, during the official visit to Thailand of the Vice President and Head of Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of the Swiss Confederation.

During the official visit to Thailand of the Vice President and Head of Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of the Swiss Confederation, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Vice President and Head of Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of the Swiss Confederation expressed their appreciation for the 90 years of cordial diplomatic relations between Thailand and the Swiss Confederation. Both sides have continually intensified their cooperation in the areas of trade, investment and people-to-people relations. Recently, Thailand and the Swiss Confederation have also fostered their cooperation on public health, sustainable development, and other areas to alleviate the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

On 2 August 2021, H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs had a bilateral meeting with H.E. Mr. Ignazio Cassis, Vice President and Head of Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of the Swiss Confederation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs during Mr. Cassis’s official visit to Thailand.

Both sides highlighted the 90 years of Thai-Swiss friendship and agreed to foster more collaboration, both bilaterally and multilaterally, in the areas of mutual interest.

Both sides agreed on the importance of cooperation on public health and mitigation of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Thai side invited Swtizerland’s private sector to invest in the Eastern Economic Corridor, especially in the vaccine production industry and thanked the Swiss government for the 102 units of ventilators and 1.1 million pieces of Rapid Antigen Test kits donated to the Thai government during this visit.

Moreover, both sides discussed trade and investment promotion to boost the economy after the pandemic, as well as tourism, climate change and sustainable development. They agreed to foster tangible collaborative projects in the context of Bio-Circular-Green Economy, especially in Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC).

On public diplomacy, both sides discussed people-to-people exchange. The Swiss community in Thailand has more than 15,000 Swiss nationals, being one of the biggest Swiss communities in Asia. Likewise, the Thai community in Switzerland has more than 36,000 Thai nationals, also being one of the biggest Thai communities in Europe. Both sides agreed to set up Consular Consultations and signed the Memorandum of Understanding to establish the said mechanism during this visit, which is the first of its kind for Thailand.

This official visit of the Vice President and Head of Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of the Swiss Confederation is a part of the celebration of the 90th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Thailand and the Swiss Confederation. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Royal Thai Embassy in Bern, and the Embassy of Switzerland in Thailand are organising commemorative activities throughout the year, with the most recent activity being the photography contest under the theme “90 years of Thai-Swiss relations: fond imprints” in collaboration with the Royal Photographic Society of Thailand. The winner of the contest was awarded in a ceremony which took place after the bilateral meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Selected photographs are also exhibited online at https://artspaces.kunstmatrix.com/node/7419601

During this official visit, the Vice President and Head of Department of Foreign Affairs of the Swiss Confederation also paid a courtesy call on H.E. Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha, Prime Minister, and had bilateral meetings with H.E. Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health; H.E. Mr. Jurin Laksanawisit, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce; and H.E. Mr. Varawut Silpa-archa, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment.

The Thai-Swiss relations today has grown from strength to strength. This official visit, despite the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, is the first official visit by a Foreign Minister from Europe in the year 2021. This fact reflects the confidence that Switzerland has in Thailand, as well as the strong multi-dimensional bonds at all levels between the two countries.