The Embassy and Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka in Bangkok recently played a pivotal role in successfully facilitating and participating in a series of discussions and negotiations aimed at finalizing two significant bilateral agreements on labor cooperation between Sri Lanka and the Kingdom of Thailand.
These constructive negotiations were conducted virtually, with relevant authorities from both nations deliberating on the draft texts of the Memorandum of Understanding on Labour Cooperation and the Agreement on the Employment of Sri Lankan Workers in Thailand.
The Sri Lankan delegation included Ambassador and Permanent Representative to Bangkok, Wijayanthi Edirisinghe, along with officials from the Mission, the Ministry, and the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE). They were joined by senior officials from the Thai side.
After comprehensive and cordial discussions, both parties successfully finalized the texts. The agreed drafts will be submitted to the respective governments for necessary approvals before they are signed. The signing ceremony is anticipated to occur at the ministerial level during the first quarter of 2026.
The finalization of these agreements is the result of sustained engagement and close coordination between the relevant authorities of both countries. This development follows the Thai Cabinet’s approval to recruit 10,000 workers from Sri Lanka under a pilot project designed to address labor shortages in Thailand. This initiative is expected to create structured and gainful employment opportunities for Sri Lankan workers in key sectors such as construction, agriculture and livestock, food and beverage, industry, educational institutions, aquatic animal processing, and mining, among others.
The successful conclusion of these legal instruments marks a significant milestone in strengthening bilateral cooperation between Sri Lanka and Thailand. It underscores the shared commitment of both governments to ensuring safe, orderly, regular, and mutually beneficial labor mobility, while safeguarding the rights and welfare of workers within a transparent and regulated framework.
