Deputy Permanent Secretary Dusit Manapan co-chaired the 1st Thailand-Canada Bilateral Consultations with Assistant Deputy Minister Paul Thoppil, Global Affairs Canada, to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of Thailand – Canada Diplomatic Relations. Both sides reaffirmed readiness to further enhance cooperation on the issues of shared priorities, particularly the COVID-19 response, trade & investment, climate change, BCG economy, science, technology & innovation, human security, and development cooperation. They also discussed regional development and challenges as well as global issues of common interest.

On 15 July 2021, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand hosted the 1st Thailand – Canada Bilateral Consultations via teleconference to commemorate the 60th Anniversary of Thailand-Canada Diplomatic Relations. The Thai delegation was led by Deputy Permanent Secretary Dusit Manapan, while Mr. Paul Thoppil, Assistant Deputy Minister (Asia-Pacific), Global Affairs Canada, led the Canadian delegation.

Both sides were pleased with the continued positive dynamic of Thailand-Canada relations and cooperation, and discussed ways to further enhance cooperation in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, both in terms of disease control and economic recovery, as well as cooperation on issues of shared priorities, particularly trade and investment, which has great potential to grow; climate change, clean energy and technology, which are in line with the Thai Government’s policy on Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) Economic Model; human security, especially among vulnerable groups; and academic and education exchange on science, technology and innovation, the areas in which Canada excels. Both sides also agreed to promote the exchanges of high-level visits to add even more positive dynamic to the bilateral ties.

The Meeting exchanged views on current regional development and challenges and deliberated on how to promote further cooperation at the sub-regional and regional levels through existing frameworks such as APEC, ACMECS, and ASEAN. Both sides also exchange views on important development in the international economic and trade cooperation frameworks such as RCEP and CPTPP as well discussed on the issue of WTO reform.