Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to Thailand, Wijayanthi Edirisinghe, held discussions with Minister of Public Health of Thailand, Pattana Promphat, on 30 September 2026. The meeting highlighted the longstanding and close relations between Sri Lanka and Thailand, underpinned by strong bonds of friendship, cultural and religious affinity, and cooperation in a range of areas. The two sides exchanged views on matters of mutual interest and explored opportunities to further strengthen bilateral cooperation.

During the discussion, the Ambassador sought the support of the Royal Thai Government for Sri Lanka’s candidature for the post of Regional Director of the WHO South-East Asia Regional Office (SEARO) and conveyed the relevant letter from the Minister of Health and Mass Media of Sri Lanka. The Thai Minister of Public Health welcomed the request and stated that Sri Lanka’s candidature would be given favourable consideration by the Thai Government.

Further, Minister Promphat congratulated Sri Lanka on the recent signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on Labour Cooperation and the Memorandum of Agreement on the Employment of Sri Lankan Workers in Thailand, noting that the Ministry of Public Health is closely coordinating with the Ministry of Labour and the Department of Employment regarding the recruitment of Sri Lankan workers and has already held discussions in this regard. The Minister highlighted the importance of ensuring health insurance coverage for Sri Lankan workers arriving in Thailand, which would facilitate access to necessary medical care during their stay. The Ambassador welcomed the observation and reaffirmed Sri Lanka’s readiness to continue working closely with the relevant Thai authorities on the effective implementation of the labour cooperation arrangements.

The meeting was attended by Minister Counsellor/Head of Chancery, Thilini Ihalage, and staff of the Embassy, Bantarawan Kongpongsa.

Embassy and Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka

Bangkok

08 October 2026