Southeast Asia Information Port News (www.dnyxxg.com) – On February 3, 2026, Thai Foreign Minister Sikhasak Punkjoe held a bilateral meeting with Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó during his official visit to Thailand. The two sides exchanged views on deepening cooperation in multiple fields and on international and regional issues of common concern.
During the meeting, the two ministers explored pathways to deepen cooperation in areas such as trade and investment, water resource management, agriculture, energy, science and technology, education, and sports. They also exchanged views on national, regional, and global issues including Thai-EU relations, cooperation with international organizations, the situation in the Middle East, Myanmar, Russia and Ukraine, the Thai-Hungarian general elections, and the situation on the Thai-Cambodian border.
The Hungarian side clarified several cooperation intentions during the meeting: seeking to reach a re-admission agreement to facilitate Thai worker permit arrangements; exploring the feasibility of opening a direct flight route between Budapest and Bangkok in the near future; and supporting visa facilitation for frequent Thai travelers to Schengen countries through the EU visa cascade mechanism. Both sides expressed their appreciation for the 10% growth in bilateral trade by 2025 and agreed to push bilateral trade to $1 billion in the near future.
The two ministers jointly witnessed the signing ceremony of cooperation documents. The Thai Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation and the Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade formally signed a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation under the framework of the Hungarian Scholarship Program for 2026-2028. According to the memorandum, Hungary will provide 40 scholarships annually to Thai students to support their studies in Hungary.
Following the meeting, the Thai Foreign Minister hosted a working dinner for Sissoko and his delegation. Guests including the Permanent Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation of Thailand, the President of the Hungarian-Thailand Chamber of Commerce, and the Rector of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce were invited to attend. (End)
