On 16 - 18 August 2025, Mr. Paisan Rupanichkij, Deputy Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs, together with Mr. Chulvat Narinthrangura, Director-General of Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA), Mr. Rutchabhoom Boonrawd, Minister at the Royal Thai Embassy in Canberra, Ms. Sirindara Atthakor, Director of the South Pacific Division, Department of American and South Pacific Affairs (ASPA), along with officers from TICA and ASPA, visited the Kingdom of Tonga to strengthen bilateral relations and advance development cooperation between the two countries.

The Deputy Permanent Secretary was granted a royal audience with His Royal Highness Crown Prince Tupouto‘a, Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Tonga, who concurrently serves as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tonga. The Deputy Permanent Secretary shared Thailand’s readiness to support cooperation with Tonga in all dimensions, particularly in the field of agriculture for food security enhancement. He also led the delegation to hand over the Thailand - Tonga Agricultural Development Cooperation Project based on the Philosophy of Sufficiency Economy, implemented within the premises of the Tongan Royal Palace. This project is a collaboration between the Royal Thai Government and the Government of Tonga, initiated in 2014 with the aim to serve as a learning center for agricultural practices guided by the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP).

In addition, the delegation also met with representatives from various agencies to exchange information and experiences on development projects in Tonga, including (1) H.E. Mr. Hisao Inagaki, Ambassador of Japan to the Kingdom of Tonga, together with representatives from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Office in Tonga; (2) Mr. Elisaia Sylvester Ika, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Forests of Tonga and Acting Permanent Secretary of the Ministry; and (3) Ms. Naitilima Tupou, Secretary-General of the Tonga Chamber of Commerce.