During 21–25 August 2026, H.E. Ms. Chavanart Thangsumphant, Ambassador of Thailand to India, paid an official visit to the State of Uttar Pradesh to further strengthen Thailand–Uttar Pradesh cooperation in trade and investment, tourism, religion, culture, food processing, health and wellness, and people-to-people ties. The visit included engagements with senior State Government officials, businesses and academic stakeholders, as well as participation in the 18th BRICS Academic Forum 2026 and the 56th FHRAI Annual Convention 2026 in Lucknow and Varanasi, respectively. The highlights are as follows:

On 24 August, H.E. the Ambassador paid a courtesy call on Hon’ble Yogi Adityanath, Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. Discussions covered the longstanding civilisational, spiritual and cultural links between Thailand and Uttar Pradesh, particularly through Buddhism and important Buddhist heritage sites such as Sarnath and Kushinagar, as well as opportunities to expand cooperation in tourism, manufacturing, food processing, health and wellness, hospitality and investment. The Hon’ble Chief Minister highlighted Uttar Pradesh’s strong industrial and agricultural base, skilled workforce and investment potential, while H.E. the Ambassador highlighted Thailand’s strengths and the opportunities for Thai businesses to participate in Uttar Pradesh’s development. Food processing was identified as one area of particular potential, drawing on Thailand’s reputation as the “Kitchen of the World” and Uttar Pradesh’s strength as the “food basket of India.”

H.E. the Ambassador further met Mr. Alok Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary, Infrastructure & Industrial Development, Government of Uttar Pradesh, together with representatives from UPEIDA and Deloitte, to explore cooperation in developing world-class wayside amenities along the State’s expressways, which can support logistics, tourism, local economic activity and employment. The meeting also provided an opportunity to discuss challenges faced by Thai companies in India and ways to facilitate greater Thai investment and business expansion in the State.

H.E. the Ambassador attended the inaugural session of the 18th BRICS Academic Forum 2026, organised by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) at the University of Lucknow, providing an opportunity for academic and policy exchanges. On 23 August, H.E. the Ambassador participated as a speaker at the BRICS Academic Forum 2026 Curtain Raiser in Lucknow on “Reformed Multilateralism: Global Governance for a Shared Future,” sharing Thailand’s perspectives on strengthening multilateral cooperation and building a more inclusive and effective global governance architecture. H.E. the Ambassador highlighted ASEAN as a successful example of regional cooperation, with its emphasis on dialogue, consensus, inclusiveness and respect for sovereignty, and noted that regional frameworks such as ASEAN and BIMSTEC can complement wider multilateral efforts and promote practical cooperation.

H.E. the Ambassador also met Mr. Shashi Bhushan Lal Susheel, Principal Secretary, MSME, Government of Uttar Pradesh, and participated in discussions with stakeholders on the Uttar Pradesh International Trade Show (UPITS) 2026, including Thailand’s participation, the possibility of Thailand becoming a Partner Country, and encouraging Thai business leaders, companies and buyers to participate. The discussions also explored opportunities to deepen Thailand–Uttar Pradesh trade, investment, cultural and tourism ties.

On 22 August, H.E. the Ambassador attended the 56th FHRAI Annual Convention 2026 and participated in a fireside chat, “India–Thailand: From Shared Roots to a Shared Future,” highlighting the enduring spiritual and cultural bonds between the two countries and opportunities for cooperation in tourism, hospitality, wellness, traditional medicine, food, creative industries, education and investment. H.E. the Ambassador also encouraged stronger business-to-business linkages.

During the visit, H.E. the Ambassador visited LuLu Mall, Lucknow, to learn about the presence and promotion of Thai products in the Indian market and explore opportunities to further expand their market presence. H.E. the Ambassador also highlighted Thailand’s role as an important economic and geographic gateway to ASEAN, offering opportunities for Indian businesses seeking to expand into Southeast Asian markets, while encouraging greater trade and investment between the two countries, as well as greater investment in Thailand. At the Hinduja Group’s Ashok Leyland plant in Lucknow, H.E. the Ambassador was briefed on SWITCH electric bus assembly and the Indian automotive sector, providing insights into opportunities for Thai businesses to participate in India’s growing manufacturing and electric mobility ecosystem.

The visit reaffirmed the strong potential for Thailand–Uttar Pradesh cooperation in tourism and spiritual circuits, hospitality, manufacturing, food processing, healthcare and wellness, investment and other emerging sectors. Through engagements with the State Government, business community and academic institutions, the visit strengthened the foundation for mutually beneficial economic, cultural and people-to-people cooperation, contributing to the further strengthening of the longstanding and multifaceted bilateral relations between Thailand and India.