On 1 April 2026, Her Excellency Mrs. Eksiri Pintaruchi, Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Thailand, attended a mini reception with 'Friends of Thailand' at the Royal Thai Embassy in London. The reception was held as part of her visit to the United Kingdom to participate in the 5th ASEAN–UK Senior Officials’ Meeting at Wilton Park during 30 March - 1 April 2026.

The Permanent Secretary, in her remarks, highlighted the ongoing momentum in Thailand–UK relations with the celebration of the 170th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2025. She underscored Thailand's efforts to advance the Thailand–UK Strategic Partnership across various dimensions, as well as the continuity of Thailand’s policies under the new Government. She also reaffirmed the new administration’s readiness to further strengthen engagement and multi-faceted cooperation with the United Kingdom in areas of mutual interest.

The reception received strong interest from key Thai-UK counterparts, including: former British Ambassador to Thailand; Thai Honorary Consuls in the United Kingdom; Chairman of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Thailand; as well as executives and representatives from key business organisations, such as the Association of Thai Businesses in the UK (ATBUK), the Thai–UK Business Council (TUBC), the UK–ASEAN Business Council (UKABC), and the Anglo-Thai Society (ATS). Representatives from relevant UK government agencies, think tanks, members of Team Thailand in the United Kingdom, as well as young diplomats from Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs currently pursuing studies in the United Kingdom also attended the reception.

For this special occasion, the Royal Thai Embassy invited Mr. Asawongrat Asarangchai, an award-winning young Thai flautist who has performed at Bechstein Hall and the David Josefowicz Recital Hall at the Royal Academy of Music, to give a special flute performance during the event, captivating the audience with his talent.