On 30 August 2024, Mr. NISHIOKA Tatsushi, Deputy Chief of Mission, Minister and Permanent Representative of Japan to UNESCAP, paid a courtesy call on Mr. Wattanawit Gajaseni, Director-General of Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA), to officially introduce himself. Also presented at the meeting were Ms. Chidchanok Malayawong, Director of Development Promotion and Coordination Division, as well as the Embassy and TICA staff. 

Both sides noted with satisfaction the progress of Thailand-Japan long-standing cooperation which marks 70-year anniversary in 2024. As Japan sees Thailand as its one of the most important strategic partners, Mr. NISHIOKA commended Thailand for its active and leading role in development cooperation to countries in the Mekong Sub-region, especially in public health among neighbouring countries. At the same time, Mr. Wattanawit expressed appreciation to Japan’s long-time development cooperation contributed to socio-economic development in Thailand, ensuring nation’s readiness to be an emerging donor of the Mekong Sub-region. He also took this opportunity to reaffirm Thailand’s commitment for a strong and close partnership with Japan to further support the sustainable development of the sub-region as a whole through, for example, jointly conducting the Third Country Training Programme (TCTP).  In addition, Thailand will continue dispatching Thai volunteers under the Friends From Thailand (FFT) programme to contribute in promoting local tourism in Japan.