During 13 – 14 December 2021, following the presentation of the Letter of Credence to the President of Maldives, H.E. Mr. Poj Harnpol, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand to Maldives, paid courtesy calls on H.E. Mr. Ahmed Khaleel, State Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Mr. Abdul Ghafoor Mohamed, Foreign Secretary, and Mr. Mohamed Hameed, Commissioner of Police. During these meetings, the two sides exchanged views on the ways to enhance long-standing cordial relations between Thailand and the Maldives, particularly in the area of development cooperation, education, Bio-Circular-Green Economy (BCG), trade and investment, tourism, support to candidatures in International organization, protection of Thai nationals in Maldives, and COVID-19 response.

On this occasion, H.E. Mr. Poj Harnpol also paid courtesy calls on foreign ambassadors in Maldives; namely, H.E. Mr. Manu Mahawar, High Commissioner of India to the Maldives, H.E. Mrs. Wang Lixin, Ambassador of China to the Maldives, and H.E. Mrs. Keiko Yanai, Ambassador of Japan to the Maldives. At each meeting the Ambassador and his respective counterparts exchanged views on bilateral relations between India, China and Japan with the Maldives, particularly on technical cooperation projects, infrastructure projects, trade and investment, and protection of foreign nationals in the Maldives.

Furthermore, H.E. Mr. Poj Harnpol met with Mr. Ahmed Ali Manik, Honorary Consul of Thailand to the Maldives, and expressed his appreciation on the active role of the Honorary Consul, particularly on the repatriation of stranded Thai nationals in the Maldives during the early wave of COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Afterwards, a thorough discussion was held on the roles and functions of the Honorary Consul, overviews and challenges in performing the duty of the Honorary Consul, and the way forward.