Prime Minister’s Visit to Thailand Strengthens Bilateral Cooperation and Opens New Prospects in the Economic, Food, Aviation and Development Sectors
Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão concluded his visit to Thailand, which took place from October 4th to 10th, 2026, and included an official programme on October 9th and 10th, at the invitation of Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. The talks between the two Heads of Government resulted in new commitments to cooperation in trade and investment, food security, transport, development cooperation, education, defence, and security, within the new context of bilateral relations following Timor-Leste’s accession to ASEAN.
This was the first official visit to Thailand by a Prime Minister of Timor-Leste since 2013 and the first since the country joined ASEAN in October 2025. The visit also preceded the 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Timor-Leste and Thailand, to be marked in 2027.
On October 9th, Xanana Gusmão was received by Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul at Government House in Bangkok for an official welcome ceremony, followed by bilateral talks, the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, a joint press conference, and an official luncheon.
The Memorandum of Understanding, signed by the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of both countries, establishes a Bilateral Consultation Mechanism to monitor cooperation between Timor-Leste and Thailand, follow up on the outcomes of the visit, and identify new areas for joint work. The first round of consultations is expected to be held in Timor-Leste.
In the economic sector, the two Governments agreed to promote trade and investment and to strengthen ties between the private sectors of both countries. They identified agriculture and food processing, energy, infrastructure, tourism and hospitality, and the blue economy as areas with potential for greater cooperation and investment.
On food security, Thailand expressed its willingness to continue supporting Timor-Leste, and the two countries agreed to begin negotiations to finalise a Memorandum of Understanding on Rice Trade. Cooperation is also expected to cover trade in agricultural products, food processing, technical cooperation, and capacity building.
The two Heads of Government also agreed to accelerate the conclusion of the Air Services Agreement between Timor-Leste and Thailand to create the necessary conditions for establishing direct air links between the two countries. Improved air connectivity is expected to support economic relations, tourism, and people-to-people contacts.
On development cooperation, the parties agreed to hold the fourth Technical Cooperation Meeting later this year in Timor-Leste to finalise and adopt the 2026–2028 Triennial Development Cooperation Programme. The programme is expected to focus on sustainable agriculture, community development, public health and maternal healthcare, human resource development, and capacity building related to ASEAN.
The two Governments also agreed to accelerate the finalisation of two Memoranda of Understanding on cooperation in education and higher education, and to strengthen technical and vocational training in line with labour market needs.
During the talks, the parties also noted progress in establishing two maternal and child health centres in Timor-Leste as part of a project involving Thailand's Neighbouring Countries Economic Development Cooperation Agency (NEDA), Timor-Leste’s Ministries of Finance and Health, and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão expressed gratitude for Thailand’s support in training Timorese human resources. Since 2001, more than 800 scholarships and training opportunities have been made available to civil servants and students from Timor-Leste, worth approximately US$4 million.
In defence and security, the two countries agreed to strengthen military exchanges, training, capacity-building, and information sharing, and to cooperate to combat online fraud and other forms of transnational crime. A visit to Timor-Leste by the Chief of the Thai Defence Forces is also planned.
Thailand also agreed to join the Core Group of Strategic Partners for the INTERFET Memorial project and expressed its willingness to contribute archives, photographs, and testimonies from Thai military personnel who served in Timor-Leste. This cooperation builds on the ties established during Thailand’s participation in international operations in Timor-Leste from 1999.
At the regional level, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul reiterated Thailand’s support for Timor-Leste’s integration into the ASEAN Community and for strengthening national capacities, including preparations for a potential Timorese ASEAN Chairmanship in 2029. The two Heads of Government also reaffirmed their commitment to ASEAN centrality and to implementing the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.
At the conclusion of the official programme on October 9th, Their Majesties King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida received Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão in audience at Dusit Palace in Bangkok.
The visit to Thailand also included additional activities before the official programme. On October 6th and 7th, the Prime Minister attended a seminar on the prudent and sustainable management of the Petroleum Fund, organised by the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank of Timor-Leste (BCTL), which examined the Fund’s sustainability alongside fiscal and investment strategies.
On October 8th, the Head of Government met with executives from Thai Beverage Public Company Limited and the TCC Group to explore investment and economic cooperation opportunities, particularly in local production, tourism, retail, real estate, and logistics. Following the visit, Xanana Gusmão invited Thai business leaders to visit Timor-Leste to assess investment opportunities firsthand and to establish direct contacts with the Timorese private sector.
On the same day, the Prime Minister met with former Thai military personnel and officers who had participated in international missions in Timor-Leste, in a meeting dedicated to the historical relationship between the two countries and to Thailand’s contribution to peacekeeping and consolidation.
At the end of the visit, the Thai Prime Minister expressed interest in visiting Timor-Leste. Xanana Gusmão announced that he would send an official invitation to his counterpart to visit Timor-Leste and participate in the celebrations marking the 25th anniversary of the Restoration of Independence on May 20th, 2027.
The Prime Minister and the delegation returned to Dili on October 11th, after concluding their visit to Thailand.
