Thailand and Israel have reaffirmed a growing bilateral partnership grounded in education, agriculture, innovation and cultural exchange, amid a backdrop of deep governmental and people-to-people ties.

In a recent interview with Thailand’s Ambassador to Israel, Boonyarit Vichienpuntu, he emphasised that the Thailand-Israel relationship is “genuine and cemented by the love of Israeli travellers and Thai workers.” He pointed out that roughly 46,000 Thai nationals are now working in Israel, particularly in agriculture, and that number is expected to rise to 60,000 by year-end.

The group plays a critical role as a backbone of Israeli agricultural production, reflecting Thailand’s supportive role in a key Israeli sector.

The two countries officially established diplomatic relations in 1954 and have cooperated in agriculture, education, technology and cultural exchanges ever since.

One recent milestone involves the resumption of the agricultural-student programme: two years after its suspension, 73 Thai students have landed in Israel to study at Kinneret Academic College combining classroom learning with hands-on work on Israeli farms.

This return underscores the breadth of cooperation beyond labour migration into higher education and skill development.

Beyond workforce and academic links, Thailand and Israel are advancing innovation partnerships.

For example, last year Israeli start-ups active in agritech, food-tech, climate-tech and waste-management engaged with Thai government and private-sector partners.

Ambassador Vichienpuntu cited the Thai start-up ecosystem—expected to reach about USD 33 billion this year, with Bangkok ranked among the top 100 cities in the Global Talent Competitiveness Index—as a fertile ground for collaboration.

He highlighted that Israelis can learn Thai cooking at Thai-run institutions and that Thai cuisine and authenticity have become vehicles for deeper cultural engagement in Israel.

The ambassador also acknowledged some challenges associated with tourism flows, such as reports of unruly behaviour by certain visitors.

He portrayed these not as a crisis but as an opportunity, urging Israeli tourists to demonstrate respect for Thai customs and laws: “When we engage, relations can increase.”

Ambassador Vichienpuntu stressed that Thailand’s relationship with Israel is balanced and principled.

While maintaining its longstanding recognition of Palestinian statehood, Thailand has simultaneously deepened ties with Israel through labour, education, agriculture and innovation cooperation.

He described the Thai government’s support for its workers in Israel—including advocacy following the attack on October 7, 2023—as both pragmatic and rooted in longstanding partnership.

In the field of defence and technology, too, Thai institutions such as the Defence Technology Institute are working with domestic and international partners to develop locally produced unmanned aerial vehicles, rockets and virtual-reality support technologies.

Thailand recently approved the establishment of a Defence, Science and Technology Department within the Ministry of Defence to reduce its heavy reliance on foreign imports and promote domestic capability.

This breadth of cooperation positions Thailand and Israel not merely as tourism or trade partners but as strategic collaborators with shared goals in agriculture, innovation, education and defence.

As Ambassador Vichienpuntu observed, the ties are “mutually beneficial,” enabling Thai workers, students and entrepreneurs to engage in Israel, and Israelis to discover Thailand beyond leisure—through food, culture, education and high-tech exchange.

With Thai students once again on Israeli soil, and both governments intensifying collaboration across multiple sectors, the Thailand-Israel relationship appears to be entering a period of deepened engagement and strategic breadth.