New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon is scheduled to make a three-day official visit to Thailand next week, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Luxon will become the first New Zealand Prime Minister to visit Thailand in 11 years. For his 16-18 April trip, he will be accompanied by Simon Watts, Minister for Climate Change, and Paulo Garcia, a Member of Parliament, including concerned officials and representatives from the private sector.
During his visit, Luxon will hold a bilateral meeting with his Thai counterpart, Srettha Thavisin. Both countries are expected to sign a series of memorandums of understanding to further strengthen their relations and cooperation.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Luxon’s visit provides an opportunity for both countries to deepen mutual cooperation in all areas, especially in defense and security, economy, clean energy, innovation, education, culture, and people-to-people cooperation.
Last year, the trade volume between the two countries was valued at around US$2.2 billion. Thailand imports mainly dairy products, fruits, and vegetables, while New Zealand imports air conditioners, auto and computer parts, and rubber.
The total value of New Zealand’s investment in Thailand amounted to only US$175 million. Currently, there are no major Thai investment projects there.
Nearly 90,000 tourists from New Zealand visited Thailand last year, but only 8,000 Thais visited New Zealand. Currently, there are 13,000 Thais residing in New Zealand as blue-collar workers and laborers. Among them, 3,000 are students.
Thai PBS World
