Oli embarking on official visit of Thailand on April 1

KATHMANDU: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli will embark on his first official visit to Thailand next week, coinciding with his participation in the sixth summit of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) in Bangkok.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the visit, issuing a statement on Wednesday.

“During the visit, Prime Minister Oli will hold official talks with Ms. Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Prime Minister of Thailand, to discuss various aspects of bilateral relations between Nepal and Thailand. Following these engagements, the Prime Minister will lead the Nepali delegation to the Sixth Summit of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), hosted by the Government of Thailand on April 4 in Bangkok,” the statement said. “

PM Oli is scheduled to address the Summit on the same day. Additionally, he will hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts from BIMSTEC member states on the sidelines of the Summit.

The Prime Minister will be accompanied by Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Arzu Rana Deuba, Chief Adviser to the Prime Minister Bishnu Prasad Rimal, Economic and Development Adviser to the Prime Minister Dr Yuba Raj Khatiwada, along with senior government officials, representatives from the private sector and media personnel.

The Nepali delegation will depart on April 1 and will return on April 5.

This marks the first official visit by a Nepali head of government to Thailand. The last high-level visit between the two nations was in 1983, when then-Thai Prime Minister Prem Tinsulanonda visited Nepal.

The two governments are also scheduled to sign some agreements and MoUs during the visit.