Bangkok: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has embarked on an official visit to Thailand from April 1 to 5 at the cordial invitation of his Thai counterpart, Paetongtarn Shinawatra. This marks the first-ever official visit by a Prime Minister of Nepal to the Kingdom of Thailand.
According to National News Agency Nepal, Deputy Prime Minister Prakash Man Singh, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation Badri Prasad Pandey, along with senior government officials and security chiefs, were present at the VVIP lounge of Tribhuvan International Airport to see off the Prime Minister. Before his departure, a contingent of the Nepali Army honored him with a guard of honor.
During this landmark visit, Prime Minister Oli is scheduled to engage in talks with his Thai counterpart to explore various areas of bilateral relations between Nepal and Thailand. Following these discussions, he will lead a 21-member Nepali delegation to the Sixth Summit of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral, Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), which will be hosted by Thailand on April 4. The Prime Minister is set to address the Summit on the same day.
On April 3, Prime Minister Oli will participate in a dinner organized in honor of the heads of nations and governments attending the BIMSTEC Summit. Additionally, he is scheduled to hold bilateral talks with his counterparts from BIMSTEC member states on the sidelines of the Summit.
Despite the long-standing friendly relations between Nepal and Thailand, this visit marks the first time a Head of Government of Nepal has officially visited Thailand. The last high-profile visit from Thailand to Nepal was by the then Prime Minister Prem Tinsulanonda in 1983, who passed away in 2019.
The Prime Minister’s entourage includes his spouse Radhika Shakya, Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr. Arzu Rana Deuba, Chief Political Advisor to the Prime Minister Bishnu Prasad Rimal, Dr. Yuba Raj Khatiwada, Chief Secretary Eak Narayan Aryal, as well as high-ranking government officials, private sector representatives, and media persons.
The visit’s schedule was endorsed by the Cabinet on March 24, and Prime Minister Oli is expected to return home on April 5.