On 7 April 2026, H.E. Mrs. Krongkanit Rakcharoen, Ambassador of Thailand to the Lao PDR, paid a courtesy call on H.E. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thongsalith Mangnomek, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education and Sports of the Lao PDR, at the Ministry of Education and Sports, on the occasion of her assumption of duties. H.E. the Ambassador also extended her warm congratulations to H.E. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Thongsalith on his recent appointment as Deputy Prime Minister.

During the meeting, both sides reaffirmed the longstanding and close cooperation between Thailand and the Lao PDR in the field of education. They exchanged views on a wide range of collaborative initiatives, including the provision of scholarships for Lao students and government officials to pursue studies in Thailand, capacity-building programmes for teachers, and the establishment of eight Learning Centers for Sustainable Agricultural Development based on the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy. The discussion also covered the White School Project aimed at addressing drug-related challenges in schools, support for the renovation of Sepon Boarding Secondary School in Savannakhet Province, and continued collaboration in the field of sports, particularly in light of the Lao PDR’s role as host of the 36th Southeast Asian Games in 2031.