On 16 September 2024, Mrs. Krongkanit Rakcharoen, Director-General of the Department of European Affairs, and Mr. Jari Sinkari, Director-General of the Department for Asia and Oceania of Finland, co-chaired the 5th Thai-Finnish Political Consultation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland.

The meeting was especially timely, as this year marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of Thai-Finnish diplomatic relations. Both sides reviewed bilateral relations and engaged in fruitful discussions on ways to enhance cooperation, particularly on the protection of Thai berry pickers in Finland, as well as cooperation in education, bio-circular-green economy, innovation, and the promotion of startups. Additionally, they discussed trade and investment opportunities, the negotiations of the Thailand-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA), and Finland’s support for Thailand’s candidatures to the Human Rights Council (HRC) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

On this occasion, the Director-General of the Department for Asia and Oceania of Finland hosted a luncheon for the Thai delegation. The discussions also covered regional and global issues, including developments in ASEAN and the Indo-Pacific region and the situation in Ukraine.