The Times Kuwait Report
Thailand’s Ambassador to Kuwait, H.E. Songchai Chaipatiyut, bid farewell to Kuwait with a message of gratitude, friendship and confidence in the future of relations between the two countries, recalling not only the diplomatic progress achieved during his tenure but also the warmth and resilience he experienced among the Kuwaiti people.
Speaking at a farewell gathering for media representatives on 4 October, Ambassador Songchai thanked Kuwait’s leadership, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the media and the wider community for the friendship and support extended to him and the Thai Embassy during his tenure.
He expressed his deep gratitude to His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah and the leadership of the State of Kuwait for their friendship and support for Thailand.
The Ambassador also highlighted the close cooperation with Kuwait’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, describing it as an active and important partner in advancing bilateral relations. “Thailand and Kuwait have been friends for more than 63 years. That friendship continues to grow,” he said, underlining the longstanding foundation of ties between Bangkok and Kuwait City.
Stronger political engagement
Ambassador Songchai pointed to a series of high-level exchanges as evidence of Thailand’s growing interest in deepening relations with Kuwait. During the previous month, two senior Thai delegations visited Kuwait. One was led by the Adviser to Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, while another involved the Deputy Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs, who came to co-chair the Second Thailand–Kuwait Political Consultations.
The two countries are also working towards establishing a Joint Commission, to be co-chaired by their respective Foreign Ministers. Ambassador Songchai said the two sides hoped to sign the agreement soon, providing a stronger institutional framework for expanding bilateral cooperation.
Economic and commercial cooperation has also featured prominently in recent exchanges. Two Kuwaiti delegations visited Bangkok earlier this year, including one for THAIFEX–Anuga Asia in May and another for Grand Halal Bangkok in July. According to the Ambassador, the visits opened opportunities for greater cooperation in food, trade, halal standards and healthcare.
He also noted that senior Kuwaiti dignitaries and officials were expected to visit Thailand later in October to participate in the Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group, scheduled in Bangkok from 12 to 18 October 2026.
A journey to Kuwait he will not forget
For Ambassador Songchai, however, his time in Kuwait was defined by more than diplomatic meetings and official engagements. His arrival itself came during an extraordinary period. He recalled that he entered Kuwait by land in March because the airspace was closed.
What stayed with him most was not the difficulty of the journey but the welcome he received at the Nuwaiseeb border. He remembered the “calm and courtesy” of the officers who received him, saying that even during a difficult moment he felt safe and welcome.
That experience shaped his understanding of Kuwait. During the period of regional tensions, he observed ordinary life continuing around him people going to work, shops opening and communities carrying on with their daily routines.
“I greatly admire the quiet resilience of the Kuwaiti people,” he said. The Ambassador also expressed appreciation for the efforts of Kuwait’s leadership to protect citizens and residents, noting that this was particularly important to the 1,080 Thai nationals who consider Kuwait their second home.
‘Kuwait made me feel at home’
Beyond official diplomacy, it was Kuwait’s social traditions and hospitality that left a lasting impression on the departing Ambassador. He spoke warmly of his experiences in the country’s diwaniyas, shared meals and informal conversations, where he said people consistently made an effort to make him feel included.
“My time here has been short. But Kuwait have made me feel at home,” he said. His remarks reflected a broader dimension of diplomacy one built not only through agreements between governments but through personal relationships and everyday interactions between people.
Media play a role in strengthening ties
Ambassador Songchai reserved particular appreciation for Kuwait’s media representatives, thanking them for their interest, questions and coverage of Thailand and the activities of the Thai Embassy.
He said the media had played an important role in introducing Thailand more widely to the Kuwaiti public, including its culture, businesses, healthcare sector and opportunities for cooperation between the two countries.
He emphasized that relations between countries were ultimately built through people those who travel, study, conduct business and form friendships across borders. “Your work brings these connections to a wider public and helps build trust and mutual understanding,” he told media representatives.
The Ambassador also acknowledged that his relationship with the Kuwaiti media had been a two-way exchange. “I have also learned a great deal about Kuwait from you,” he said, thanking journalists for the news, insights and conversations shared during his posting.
Returning to Bangkok for a new assignment
Ambassador Songchai will soon return to Bangkok, where he will take up a new position as Director-General of Thailand’s Department of Treaties and Legal Affairs. He noted that his new responsibilities would focus more heavily on legal matters and that considerable work lay ahead.
He urged Kuwaiti friends and partners to extend the same friendship and support to his successor and colleagues that had been shown to him. “Our friendship continues,” he said. He concluded with a simple hope that the relationships built during his time in Kuwait would continue, adding that he looked forward to welcoming his Kuwaiti friends in Thailand.
For an Ambassador completing his posting, it was a farewell marked less by ceremony than by gratitude for a country that welcomed him during an uncertain period, for people who made him feel at home, and for a bilateral relationship he believes has a strong future ahead.
