Bangkok (VNA) – Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has called on domestic businesses to invest in Bhutan’s Gelephu Mindfulness City as Thailand seeks to expand trade and investment ties with the Himalayan kingdom.
Speaking on November 1, Thai Government spokesperson Ekkapob Pianpises said the PM’s official visit to Bhutan from October 30 to November 1 had been a success, reaffirming longstanding friendship and witnessing the signing of three cooperation agreements covering public health, clean energy and agricultural finance.
Anutin noted that despite its population of only around 800,000, Bhutan has abundant natural resources and considerable economic potential, particularly in renewable energy, including hydropower and solar power. These sectors offer opportunities for Thai companies to invest in energy infrastructure and joint development projects.
Agriculture, another key pillar of Bhutan’s economy, also presents significant prospects for cooperation in agricultural development and technology transfer.
Thailand’s Bank for Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives (BAAC) will support efforts to improve access to finance, strengthen farmers’ capacity and modernise agricultural production in both countries. The partnership is also expected to help Thai businesses enter the Bhutanese market and expand into the wider South Asian region.
In public health, the PM said Thailand has supported Bhutan through medical knowledge transfer, human resources development and training opportunities for Bhutanese medical and nursing students.
The newly signed agreement is expected to deepen healthcare cooperation and facilitate referrals of Bhutanese patients to Thailand for high-quality medical services.
Highlighting the Gelephu Mindfulness City project, Ekkapob quoted Anutin as describing it as a vision for a future city that will serve as a special economic zone while promoting religious and cultural tourism.
The Thai leader therefore invited domestic investors to explore opportunities in infrastructure development, clean energy, tourism and services in the planned city./.
