Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Vijitha Herath has concluded his official visit to Thailand from 14 to 16 September 2026, following an invitation from the Thai Minister of Labour Julapun Amornvivat.
During the two-day visit, Minister Herath and Thai Minister of Labour Amornvivat signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Labour Cooperation and a Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) on the Employment of Sri Lankan Workers in Thailand, opening up 10,000 employment opportunities to Sri Lankan workers, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment & Tourism said in a statement.
The agreements establish a structured framework for the recruitment and employment of Sri Lankan workers in Thailand, while promoting their rights, welfare and protection.
The agreements also contribute to diversifying Sri Lanka’s foreign employment destinations and expanding access to skilled and decent foreign employment opportunities for Sri Lankans, the Ministry said.
Minister Herath also held discussions with the Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, Sarun Charoensuwan, focusing on further advancing bilateral cooperation in areas of mutual interest, particularly in economic cooperation, investments and tourism, education, maritime security and cultural exchanges.
The discussions also entailed efforts to finalize the proposed bilateral visa exemption agreement for ordinary passport holders with a view to facilitating seamless travel between the two countries, the statement said.
As part of his official programme, Minister Herath held discussions with the Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), during which the two sides exchanged views on tourism development and destination promotion, with particular attention to Thailand’s experience and best practices.
The engagement provided valuable insights into innovative approaches to destination development, application of technology and promotion of cultural heritage, with a view to further strengthening cooperation and sharing best practices in tourism between Sri Lanka and Thailand, the statement said.
The visit also included engagements with prominent private sector business leaders in Thailand to identify potential business opportunities in Sri Lanka and facilitating greater engagement between the business communities of the two countries.
The visit provided opportunity to advance practical cooperation in tourism and employment, migration and labour mobility, strengthen people-to-people links, and enhance bilateral economic engagement between Sri Lanka and Thailand, the statement added.
Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Thailand, Wijayanthi Edirisinghe and the senior diplomatic officers of the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Thailand were associated with Minister Herath during the visit.
