Sri Lanka and Thailand have concluded negotiations on two landmark agreements that will create 10,000 job opportunities for Sri Lankan workers in Thailand. The agreements focus on labour cooperation and the employment of Sri Lankan workers, marking a major step forward in bilateral relations between the two countries.
The Embassy and Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka in Bangkok facilitated a series of virtual discussions with relevant authorities from both sides. These talks finalized the draft texts of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Labour Cooperation and an Agreement on the Employment of Sri Lankan Workers in Thailand.
The Sri Lankan delegation was led by Ambassador and Permanent Representative to Bangkok, Wijayanthi Edirisinghe, together with senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE). Thai officials from the relevant ministries also took part in the negotiations.
After comprehensive and cordial discussions, both sides agreed on the final texts. The documents will now be submitted to their respective governments for formal approval. The signing ceremony is expected to take place at the ministerial level in the first quarter of 2026.
This breakthrough follows the approval by the Thai Cabinet to recruit 10,000 workers from Sri Lanka under a pilot project to address labour shortages in Thailand. The programme will offer structured and gainful employment in key sectors such as construction, agriculture and livestock, food and beverage, industry, educational institutions, aquatic animal processing, and mining.
Officials say the agreements will ensure safe, orderly, regular, and mutually beneficial labour mobility. They will also safeguard the rights and welfare of workers under a transparent and regulated framework.
The finalization of these two legal instruments is seen as a major milestone in strengthening Sri Lanka–Thailand cooperation and providing thousands of Sri Lankans with new overseas employment opportunities.
