BANGKOK, Thailand – Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra warmly welcomed Nepal’s Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli and his spouse during their first official visit to Thailand in 66 years. This visit coincides with the 66th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, underscoring their deep cultural and spiritual connections.
During the meeting, Prime Minister Shinawatra praised Nepal’s progress toward attaining developing country status by 2026 and expressed her support for a smooth transition. She also recognized Nepal’s economic potential, particularly its achievements in hydropower development. The two leaders signed eight memorandums of understanding (MoUs), marking a commitment to future cooperation in various sectors.
Both parties emphasized the importance of regular high-level exchanges to further strengthen bilateral ties, with the Joint Commission Meeting serving as a key mechanism for advancing collaboration across a range of areas.
In terms of trade and investment, the two countries agreed to boost economic engagement, with particular focus on agriculture, herbal product processing, medical services, and tourism. Thai businesses have already shown interest in investing in Nepal, with several companies operating there. Nepal, in turn, expressed its willingness to facilitate Thai business operations and reduce trade barriers to attract further investment.
Agricultural collaboration will leverage Nepal’s abundant natural resources, especially its high-quality medicinal herbs, and Thailand’s expertise in agricultural processing and technology transfer.
Tourism cooperation will focus on Buddhist pilgrimage routes and medical tourism, with Thailand offering its expertise in healthcare services and Nepal seeking to enhance its medical knowledge and joint tourism ventures.
On development cooperation, Thailand is committed to providing academic scholarships and short-term training programs in fields such as hospitality, agriculture, and public health. Nepal highlighted the importance of knowledge exchange in strengthening its human capital.
Regionally, Thailand reiterated its commitment to multilateral cooperation with Nepal, particularly through the 6th BIMSTEC Summit. Additionally, Thailand expressed its willingness to collaborate on climate change initiatives, aligning with Nepal’s plans to host the “Sagamatha Sambaad” global climate dialogue in May. (NNT)
