On 26 March 2026, Mr. Chulvat Narinthrangura, Director-General of the Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA), co-chaired the 26th Thailand - Lao PDR Technical Cooperation Meeting (TCM) with Mr. Bounthanongsack Chanthalath, Director-General of the Department of Asia-Pacific and Africa, and Secretary-General of the Lao - Thai Joint Commission for Cooperation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR), in Vang Vieng, Vientiane. H.E. Mrs. Krongkanit Rakcharoen, Ambassador of Thailand to Vientiane, also attended the meeting.

The meeting acknowledged the progress and achievements of the 2nd Thailand - Lao PDR Development Cooperation Programme (2022 - 2025), of which 17 projects have been completed, 9 projects are scheduled for completion by 2026, and another 9 projects will be continued into the 3rd Programme (2026 - 2029). The meeting also agreed to further consider 37 of 42 new project proposals, including those that are on the agenda for the Mekong Sub-region, for example, Project on Strengthening Thailand - Lao PDR Cooperation on Zero Burning Crop Production Standards to Reduce PM2.5 Emissions, Project on Development and Management of Water Quality Monitoring and Policies for Lao PDR, and Project on Strengthening National Cybersecurity Capacity and Operational Readiness in Lao PDR. In addition, both sides jointly visited and monitored important projects, including community-based ecotourism in Muang Phuong, a learning center for sustainable agricultural development based on the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP) at Dong Kham Chang Agricultural Technical College, and the Lao - Thai Friendship Social Development Center in Vientiane Province.

In 2027, TICA will host the 27th Thailand - Lao PDR TCM. Thailand has launched the technical cooperation with Lao PDR since 1961, and presently it covers 7 key sectors, i.e. agriculture, environment, education and sports, public health, trade, industry and tourism, social development and good governance, and human resource development. Lao PDR is one among five highest priority countries for Thailand’s development cooperation.