On 14 May 2026, Mr. Chettaphan Maksamphan, Deputy Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs, had a discussion with Mr. Grahame Morton, Deputy Secretary of the Americas and Asia Group, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade of New Zealand, on the sidelines of the 33rd ASEAN - New Zealand Dialogue in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Both sides discussed how to strengthen Thai - New Zealand relations, especially as the two countries celebrate the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year. They prioritised elevating engagement of public and private sectors, as well as people-to-people connection, particularly on trade and investment, cooperation on education, digital technology, clean energy, and AgriTech. They also exchanged views on ASEAN - New Zealand cooperation, regional and international developments, and energy security.

Since 1975, New Zealand has established Dialogue Relations with ASEAN, making it the second-oldest Dialogue Partner. In 2025, ASEAN and New Zealand also established Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of their Dialogue Relations.