During 14 - 16 January 2024, H.E. Mr. Worawoot Pongprapapant, Director-General of the Department of South Asian, Middle East and African Affairs (SAMEAF), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, led the Thai public and private sectors on a visit Iraq in order to strengthen Thai-Iraqi bilateral relations, as well as explore new markets, and ways and means to enhance trade and investment between the two countries.

On 14 January 2024, the Director-General met with H.E. Dr. Hammed Al-Jubouri, Director-General of the Department of Asia and Australia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Iraq, to discuss ways to promote and restore Thai-Iraqi bilateral relations. On the same day, the Director-General of Asia and Australia of Iraq hosted a dinner in honour of the Director-General of SAMEAF and the Thai delegation.

On 15 January 2024, the Director-General met with H.E. Mr. Ryadh Fakher Al-Hashimi, Director-General of the Department of International Economic Relations, Ministry of Trade of Iraq, to receive updates on convening the 4^th Thai-Iraqi Joint Trade Committee (JTC), discuss ways to promote trade relations between Thailand and Iraq, as well as explore ways for entrepreneurs of both countries to increase trade and investment between the two countries. Later on, the Director-General of SAMEAF met with Mr. Adel Abed Ali, Assistant Director-General of the Department of Studies, Planning and Follow-Up, Ministry of Oil of Iraq in order to explore the possibilities of energy cooperation.

On the same day, the Director-General paid a courtesy call on H.E. Dr. Hisham Al-Alawi, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Iraq to discuss approaches to restore and promote Thai-Iraqi bilateral relations, as well as ways to bolster cooperation in various areas of mutual interests, including trade and investment, tourism, energy, aviation, and public health.

After that, the Thai delegation participated in the 47^th Baghdad International Fair held in Baghdad, Iraq, and visited the booth arranged by the Royal Thai Embassy in Amman, which displayed Thai products and promoted tourist destinations, and had been visited by around 700 people. The Baghdad International Fair is an international exhibition where various private sectors showcase their products in areas of engineering, food, agriculture, and automobiles, among others.

During the visit, the Director-General discussed with the representatives from the Iraqi private and political sectors, to exchange information, build networking and discuss opportunities and challenges in trading and investing in Thailand and Iraq. The aforementioned representatives included Chamber of Commerce of Baghdad, Parliamentary Investment Authority, Governors from Karbala and Najaf, and Presidents of the Chamber of Commerce of Karbala and Najaf.

In addition, the Director-General paid a courtesy call on Sheikh Ali Al-Najafi, representative of His Eminence Sheikh Bashir Al-Najafi, a highly respected Spiritual Leader, in order to discuss ways to promote a pilgrimage from Thailand, as well as commended on his pivotal role in consistently looking after Islamic community in Iraq.