On 8 July 2025, Mr. Chulvat Narinthrangura, Director-General of Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA), and H.E. Dr. Angela Jane Macdonald, Australian Ambassador to Thailand, signed the Subsidiary Arrangement between the Government of Australia and the Government of the Kingdom of Thailand relating to the Mekong-Australia Partnership on Transnational Crime (MAP-TNC) at the Exhibition Hall, TICA. The signing ceremony was witnessed by representatives from the Australian Embassy and the relevant Thai agencies, including Office of the National Security Council, Royal Thai Police, Department of Special Investigation, and Department of American and South Pacific Affairs.
 
Director-General of TICA emphasised the importance of the long-standing development partnership between Thailand and Australia since 1989, and highlighted that MAP-TNC will play a vital role in supporting Mekong countries in combating transnational crime. He also reaffirmed Thailand’s readiness to work with Australia and other Mekong countries to implement the second phase of the MAP-TNC and ensure its concrete results for the security and stability of the region.
 
Australian Ambassador reaffirmed Australia’s support for Thailand and other Mekong countries in tackling transnational crime. She also underscored the importance of continued collaboration between Thai and Australian agencies in strengthening regional cooperation and addressing shared security challenges.
 
The Subsidiary Arrangement will serve as the framework for the second phase of the program from March 2025 to 2029. This new phase aims to further strengthen bilateral cooperation between Thailand and Australia in combating transnational crime in the Mekong sub-region through enhancing policy and research analysis, upgrading operational capacity, and fostering regional collaboration in information sharing and border management. In Thailand, activities will focus on key issues such as narcotics, financial crime, and child sexual exploitation, with the National Security Council serving as the main coordinating agency.