Thailand’s ties to Israel evolved beyond tourism and trade, ambassador tells ‘Post’

ASIA AFFAIRS: The relations between Jerusalem and Bangkok are mutually beneficial, Thailand’s Ambassador Vichienpuntu told The Jerusalem Post in an exclusive interview.

Two years after Thailand suspended its agricultural student program following the deadly October 7 massacre, 73 students landed in Israel from Bangkok on Tuesday.

The students will be studying at Kinneret Academic College for the year, combining classroom learning and hands-on agricultural work on Israeli farms.

A total of 39 Thai nationals were murdered by Hamas on October 7, and another 25 were kidnapped by the terrorist group into the Gaza Strip. The body of Sonthaya Oakkharasri was released by Hamas and brought back to Thailand last week.

The long history of Israeli-Thai relations

Thailand and Israel established diplomatic relations in 1954 and have maintained a close relationship marked by cooperation in agriculture, education, technology, and cultural exchange.

Speaking to The Jerusalem Post in an exclusive interview, Thailand’s Ambassador Boonyarit Vichienpuntu said that the “relationship is genuine and cemented by the love of Israeli travelers and Thai workers.”

A total of 46,000 Thai work in Israel, with that number estimated to grow to 60,000 by the end of the year – they are the backbone of Israeli agriculture. Hundreds of other Thai have made the Holy Land their home, marrying Israelis and establishing careers in business, dentistry, journalism, and more.

Thousands of Israelis visit Thailand on a yearly basis, and recently the number has increased by 60%. Hundreds of Israelis have decided to make the kingdom their home – a number that continues to grow.

Nevertheless, there have been growing reports of misconduct and unruly behavior by Israeli tourists in popular destinations, such as Pai in the country’s north. Thailand’s Tourism Authority office in Israel and local travel groups have urged travelers to be mindful of local customs, traditions, and laws, especially now, following the death of Queen Mother Sirikit, the mother of King Maha Vajiralongkorn (Rama X), when a nationwide mourning period has been declared.

“It’s not wrong not to know about Thai culture,” Vichienpuntu said. “Seeing Thailand as a home is good, but they must comply with our laws,” he continued, adding that he does not view this as a crisis, but, rather, as an opportunity. “When we engage, relations can increase.”

Relations between Israel and Thailand mutually beneficial, envoy says

Vichienpuntu said that the relations between the two countries are mutually beneficial.

One popular activity in Thailand is cooking classes, and according to Vichienpuntu there are opportunities for Israelis to learn Thai cooking at universities and bring that knowledge back to Israel.

Since there are dozens of Thai restaurants across the country, training chefs to cook authentic Thai cuisine would also help the local Thai food industry, as the best ingredients for the dishes could be imported.

“Thailand is welcoming to Israelis, and they don’t only have to come for holidays; they can come and learn at internationally recognized institutions,” he said.

Vichienpuntu recently held a food gala at the George Hotel in Tel Aviv to showcase Thai food, an event attended by diplomats and others. The hotel is currently serving a special menu of Thai food, until December 8, and the head chef was personally trained by the head chef of the Thai residence in Herzliya.

There is already innovation cooperation between the two countries. In August of last year, 11 Israeli start-ups visited the kingdom to share their technology and innovation with the Thai audience from the government and private sectors, as well as interested investors, to discuss the potential collaboration in technology and innovation between Thailand and Israel. The start-ups were in the fields of agritech, food-tech, climate-tech, waste management and environment tech, and investment.

In addition, there is an ongoing agritech collaboration between Israel’s Mashav and Thailand’s International Cooperation Agency.

Thailand’s start-up scene is thriving, with the ecosystem predicted to reach $33 billion by the end of the year. The capital, Bangkok, has been ranked among the top 100 cities in the world in the Global Talent Competitiveness index several times, and is home to close to 300 start-ups (close to 84% of all start-ups in the country) and four unicorns.

Dr. Pun-Arj Chairatana, former executive director of Thailand’s National Innovation Agency, told the Post that the scene is largely led by fintech and e-commerce innovations, med-tech, travel-tech, and more.

In 2016, the Thai government established a National Start-up Committee to develop policies and improve the start-up ecosystem, a key initiative alongside the creation of the Ministry of Digital Economy and Society and the launch of the “Start-up Thailand” national platform.

That committee, Chairatana explained, provided incentives and support programs for the local start-ups in Thailand.

Chairatana, who also served as the deputy director of the Public Policy Development Office of the Thai Prime Minister’s Office, added that local venture capital funds are nurturing early seed companies in order to diversify the start-up ecosystem in the kingdom.

Part of the diversification is the inclusion and investment support of the large LGBT community into the entrepreneurial scene, as well as Thailand’s growing space and local defense industry.

The state-run Defense Technology Institute has been a key player in working with domestic private sector defense firms and academic institutions to develop locally produced armored vehicles, unmanned aerial vehicles, rockets, and virtual reality-based support technologies.

As Asia pivots toward local defense production and manufacturing capabilities, Thailand has approved the creation of a new Defense, Science, and Technology Department to manage security-focused research and reduce the kingdom’s heavy reliance on foreign imports.

The department was established last week following a meeting of the Office of National Higher Education, Science Research and Innovation Policy Council, and will operate within Thailand’s Ministry of Defense, which has the necessary personnel, R&D facilities, and organizational support.

The department’s work will range from basic research to the commercial and social application of security technologies, and will also focus on nonclassified research and dual-use security research.

According to Thai news website The Nation Thailand, the department will be central in coordinating and managing security research to ensure that defense research aligns with the needs of the military.

“The goal is to integrate security research, reduce duplication, and implement a comprehensive management approach,” the report said.

As Bangkok aims to achieve greater self-sufficiency in defense manufacturing, the department is expected to play a key role in reducing the kingdom’s current 98% dependence on imported defense technology and weapons.

So while some Israelis see Thailand as the perfect vacation spot, there is much more to the strong Southeast Asian nation. With leading universities and internationally recognized experts, Thailand can offer far more than just smiles and good weather.