Summary of Weekly Press Briefing by

Director-General of Department of Information/Spokesperson of MFA

6 March 2025 at 14.00 hrs. at Press Conference Room, Ministry of Foreign Affairs

and MFA FB/TikTok Live

1. Outcomes of the Foreign Minister's visit to the State of Qatar (2–4 March 2025)

• H.E. Mr. Maris Sangiampongsa, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, visited the State of Qatar during 2 - 4 March, and met with His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Qatar. The Foreign Minister made the trip to officially express Thailand’s sincere appreciation to the Qatari Government for its efforts in key negotiations and coordination that led towards the release of 28 Thai nationals (to date) who were held in the Gaza Strip. The Foreign Minister sought Qatar’s continued support for the early release and repatriation of another Thai hostage, and the remains of two deceased Thai nationals.
• The visit was also an opportunity for talks on deepening relations between Thailand and Qatar, given that our two countries are celebrating the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year. Both sides discussed enhancing bilateral relations in various areas, including (1) Food Security (2) Energy Security, aimed towards the Green Transition and (3) Human Security, encompassing public health, education, and tourism, all with the goal of furthering economic and cultural ties between Thailand and Qatar in the long term.
• Also on this occasion, Foreign Minister Maris, together with the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Qatar, signed the Agreement on Exemption of Visa Requirements for Holders of Diplomatic and Official/Special Passports between the Government of the Kingdom of Thailand and the State of Qatar.
  
  

2. The Foreign Minister’s visit to Cambodia to attend the Thailand-Cambodia 75th Anniversary Friendly Football Match (7–9 March 2025)

• On 8 March 2025, Foreign Minister Maris is scheduled to visit Phnom Penh to co-preside over the ‘Dhamma Century Cup’, which is a friendship football match organized to commemorate the 75th anniversary of Thailand-Cambodia diplomatic relations. The event will be co-presided over by Mr. Prak Sokhonn, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Kingdom of Cambodia.
• The forthcoming match will also feature well-known artists, celebrities, professional boxers, social media influencers, and legendary national football players from both countries. The event will take place at the National Olympic Stadium in Phnom Penh, with an estimated attendance of up to 30,000 people.
  
  

3. Updates on the 6th BIMSTEC Summit (2 – 4 April 2025)

• Media Registration opened between 4-15 March 2025. Both official and general media can register online via the website bimstecthailand.com under the “Media Registration” section.
• Interested media are advised to register as soon as possible, especially for those who do not reside in Thailand, as there will be a visa application process through the Royal Thai Embassies and Consulates - General before traveling to Thailand.
• Once the registration is approved, you will receive an email confirming the status of “Registration Successful”. Please show that email, together with proof of identification, to collect your Media Badge at:
  • The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, from 31 March to 1 April, 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.; or at
  • The Media Center (at the meeting venue), from 2 - 3 April, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
• In addition, on April 3 2025, the Department of International Economic Affairs, in collaboration with the Department of Information, will organize the “BIMSTEC Young Gen Forum: Where the Future Meets” as a parallel activity to the BIMSTEC Summit, at Major Cineplex, Theater 2, on the 7th floor of ICONSIAM. This will be a forum for discussions by seven outstanding young entrepreneurs and social enterprises from the seven member countries of BIMSTEC, as well as young Thai entrepreneurs and representatives of BIMSTEC Embassies, totaling 60 people. Young representatives from various sectors, including government, private sector, academia, and the media, altogether approximately 200-250 people, will be invited to join the audience.
• The Forum aims to provide a platform for young entrepreneurs from BIMSTEC countries, aged between 20 and 45, to share their vision, experiences, best practices and ideas, to discuss challenges, opportunities, and avenues for international cooperation in the region, as well as to build networks to drive economic development in the seven core areas of BIMSTEC cooperation.
  
  

4. Official visit of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia

• During 12 - 14 March 2025, H.E. Ms. Tanja Fajon, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia, will pay an official visit to Thailand at the invitation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs. The visit aims to strengthen relations between Thailand and Slovenia and will mark the first high-level visit from Slovenia to Thailand in 19 years. This visit will further enhance the dynamic and growing ties between the two countries, contributing to mutual cooperation in alignment with Thailand’s policy on sustainable economic development.
• Slovenia is recognized for its expertise in digital technology, medical sciences, and logistics. It is also a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) for the 2024-2025 term, advocating conflict resolution through diplomacy and negotiations, as well as the promotion of artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, and green technology. In addition, Slovenia has a significant number of women in high-ranking positions, reflecting the country's leadership in women’s empowerment and gender equality in multilateral forums.
• On 13 March 2025, Ms. Fajon will pay a courtesy call on the Minister of Foreign Affairs and co-sign the Agreement between the Government of the Kingdom of Thailand and the Government of the Republic of Slovenia on Short-Stay Visa Exemption for Holders of Diplomatic and Official/Service Passports. She will also deliver a keynote speech and participate in a panel discussion on "Women in Multilateralism", alongside distinguished experts in women’s leadership, diplomacy, and international relations. The objective of this event is to promote women’s roles in shaping global governance, diplomacy, and conflict resolution.
  
  

5. Updates on the repatriation of foreign nationals from Myanmar

• On 28 February 2025.Thailand hosted the Trilateral Thailand-Myanmar-China Coordination Meeting on Combating Telecommunications Fraud (last Friday), after which the Ministry held a press conference on the results of that meeting.
• On 4 March 2025, the Ministry, led by the Department of East Asian Affairs and the Department of South Asian, Middle East, and African Affairs, organized a briefing for the relevant Embassies whose nationals are to be released from Myanmar, with the aim of efficient coordination on the different steps throughout the repatriation process.
• The process is based on three key principles, as follows:
  • This repatriation is a government-to-government cooperation. Thailand will facilitate repatriation based solely on the list of foreign nationals received from the Myanmar authority. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as the main focal point of the Thai side, will then share the list with the respective Embassies;
  • Thailand and Myanmar will facilitate Embassies’ cross-over to Myawaddy from Mae Sot to verify the nationality of their nationals and issue travel documents;
  • Due to limited facilities on the Thai side, countries are requested to arrange for the immediate onward repatriation of their nationals upon crossing into Thailand. This may be done by air or by land.
• The coordination process between Embassies and the Thai Foreign Ministry and relevant agencies comprises 4 steps, namely:
  • Once the Ministry receives the list of foreign nationals from the Myanmar Foreign Ministry, we will notify the relevant Embassies, requesting them to verify the list and confirm the schedule and modalities of repatriation at least one week in advance. Repatriation will take place Monday to Friday, with a maximum capacity of 300 persons per day;
  • Once the schedule and modality of repatriation are confirmed, the Ministry will connect the focal points on the ground with those of the Embassies to facilitate the Embassies’ coordination with local authorities;
  • On the operation day, according to the agreed schedule, Embassies’ representatives are to be on the ground to receive their nationals at the 2nd Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge. Upon arrival in Thailand, the foreign nationals will undergo various processes, including health screening/shortened NRM/immigration procedures/baggage inspection. These processes will be completed within the same day;
  • During transit in Thailand, Thai law enforcement officers will escort the foreign nationals along the route. Once repatriated, it is understood that each country will conduct further investigation and legal proceedings. Relevant information in this regard will be shared with the Royal Thai Police to support efforts to eradicate these transnational criminal networks.
• Currently, the repatriation process is ongoing. Last week a group of Indonesian nationals were repatriated and today, another group of Chinese nationals are being repatriated. From now on, there will be regular repatriations of Chinese nationals every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, as agreed upon by both sides.

Watch the full session at: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/19zkYTK5DF/