Southeast Asia Information Port News (www.dnyxxg.com) – From January 27th to 29th, 2026, the Fifth Joint Review Meeting on Thai-Bhutan Development Cooperation was held in Thimphu, Bhutan, co-chaired by Churwa Narintlangula, Director General of the Thai Agency for International Cooperation (TICA), and Pema Chomo, Director General of the Department of Bilateral Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Bhutan. A delegation from the Neighbourhood Economic Development Cooperation Agency (NEDA) attended the meeting, headed by Colonel Dr. Saranu Vilyavechkul.
The meeting focused on reviewing the progress of past development cooperation projects and held in-depth discussions on the formulation of the Thai-Bhutan Development Cooperation Plan for 2026-2028, laying a solid foundation for future cooperation. During the meeting, Churwa Narintlangula led the Thai delegation to meet with Bhutanese Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Dong Tundrup, reiterating Thailand's firm commitment to continuously supporting Bhutan's development.
The delegation also conducted on-site inspections of key cooperation projects supported by Thailand, including the "One Village One Product" (OGOP) program and the upgrade project for the ENT medical services at the Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital, gaining a direct understanding of the projects' effectiveness. Furthermore, the delegation held talks with Yoichiro Kinamata, representative of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Bhutan, exchanging views and building consensus on development cooperation in Bhutan.
During the trip, the delegation also received a briefing from Thai volunteer Valepong Chainoi. Currently, Valepong Chainoi is participating in the "Friends of Thailand" (FFT) volunteer project, conducting tourism promotion work in Bhutan and building bridges for cultural exchanges between the two countries.
