From 2 - 4 March 2025, H.E. Mr. Sira Swangsilpa, Ambassador of Thailand to Qatar, welcomed H.E. Mr. Maris Sangiampongsa, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, and his delegation on their official visit to Qatar.

On 3 March 2025, H.E. Mr. Maris Sangiampongsa met with H.E. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, to express Thailand’s appreciation for Qatar’s pivotal role in mediating the release of Thai nationals in Gaza. He further requested Qatar’s continued efforts in securing the release of the remaining Thai hostages. The two sides exchanged views on regional developments and reaffirmed their commitment to upholding international law and the UN Charter. Thailand reiterated its support for diplomatic negotiations aimed at achieving lasting peace.

The discussions also focused on strengthening bilateral and multilateral cooperation across various domains, particularly in areas where Thailand’s expertise aligns with Qatar’s strategic priorities. These include renewable and alternative energy, food security, halal science and innovation, medical and wellness tourism, and advanced technology. The visit holds special significance as 2025 marks the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Thailand and Qatar.

During the visit, H.E. Mr. Maris Sangiampongsa met with H.E. Sultan bin Saad Al-Muraikhi, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Qatar and signed the Agreement on the Exemption of Visa Requirements for Holders of Diplomatic and Official/Special Passports between the Government of the Kingdom of Thailand and the Government of the State of Qatar. The signing ceremony took place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar.

On this occasion, H.E. Ambassador Sira Swangsilpa and his spouse hosted working lunch in honour for H.E. Mr. Maris Sangiampongsa, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, and his delegation, at the Ambassador’s residence. Additionally, the Foreign Minister and his delegation also visited the newly relocated Royal Thai Embassy in Doha, which has been operational since 1 May 2024. The visit provided an opportunity to review the Embassy’s work in fostering closer Thailand-Qatar relations across multiple sectors. Thailand and Qatar established diplomatic relations on 7 August 1982 and have since maintained close cooperation at both bilateral and multilateral levels. Key areas of collaboration include foreign affairs and security, economic capacity-building, knowledge exchange—particularly in sustainable development, halal science innovation, and industrial upcycling—people-to-people connections, and cultural diplomacy.

Qatar is Thailand’s third-largest trading partner in the Middle East and 27th globally. It is also Thailand’s second-largest supplier of imported natural gas, with Qatar ranking third worldwide in natural gas reserves and 14th in oil reserves. Since the onset of the Gaza crisis on 7 October 2023, Qatar has played a crucial role as a mediator in ceasefire negotiations, humanitarian assistance, and hostage exchanges, in coordination with the United States and Egypt. These efforts led to the release of 28 Thai hostages, all of whom have safely returned to Thailand.

The visit of H.E. Mr. Maris Sangiampongsa, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, reaffirms Thailand’s commitment to strengthening its partnership with Qatar and expanding cooperation across all sectors. Building upon the momentum of the Thai Prime Minister’s visit to Qatar in October 2024, the Royal Thai Embassy in Doha will continue to advance key initiatives to further enhance Thailand-Qatar relations for the mutual benefit of both nations and their people.