The Prime Minister revealed the success of his visit to Bhutan, advancing cooperation in three areas and opening opportunities for Thai trade and investment in clean energy, agriculture, and public health, while inviting Thai private sector participation in developing Gelephu, Bhutan's future economic city.
At 10:30 a.m. on 1 Nov 2026 (local Bhutan time, one hour behind Thailand) in Gelephu, Kingdom of Bhutan, Mr. Ekaphop Pienpiset, spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office, disclosed that Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul spoke to the Thai Public Broadcasting Service about the successful official visit to Bhutan from 30 Oct to 1 Nov 2026. He said the visit went well and reflected the strong longstanding relationship between Thailand and Bhutan. Both sides signed three cooperation agreements covering public health, clean energy, and agricultural finance to expand cooperation and create economic opportunities.
The Prime Minister said that although Bhutan has a population of about 800,000, it is rich in natural resources and has economic development potential, especially in clean energy such as hydropower and solar energy. This presents opportunities for Thai private investors to invest and help develop energy infrastructure. During the visit, both sides discussed ways to expand cooperation and investment opportunities in promising sectors to increase trade and investment value in the future.
Regarding agriculture, a key sector of Bhutan's economy, Thailand is ready to promote cooperation in agricultural development and technology transfer, especially with the Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC), to support access to funding, enhance farmer capabilities, and upgrade agriculture in both countries. This also aims to increase opportunities for Thai entrepreneurs to expand markets for goods and services to Bhutan and the South Asian region.
On public health, the Prime Minister noted that Thailand places importance on supporting and developing cooperation with Bhutan continuously. This includes medical knowledge transfer, personnel development, and opportunities for Bhutanese medical and nursing students to train in Thailand. The signed public health cooperation agreement will elevate medical collaboration and facilitate patient referrals from Bhutan to Thailand, where medical services meet standards, benefiting the health systems of both countries.
Regarding the visit to Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC), the Prime Minister stated that Gelephu is Bhutan's future city development project aiming to become a special economic zone alongside promoting religious and cultural tourism. He sees this project as having great potential and as an important opportunity for Thai investors to participate in developing the city’s infrastructure, clean energy, tourism, and service businesses. This will open new markets for Thai private sector and expand economic links between the two countries.
The Prime Minister's Office spokesperson said the Prime Minister views this Bhutan visit not only as strengthening the good relationship between the two countries but also as a key opportunity to translate cooperation into tangible results. This includes opening markets for Thai products, promoting private investment, and exchanging knowledge and technology in sectors where both countries have strengths, thereby creating economic opportunities and sustainably improving quality of life for people in both nations.