During 27 September - 4 October 2025, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs led a delegation from the Institute of Asian Studies, Chulalongkorn University, to the Kyrgyz Republic and the Republic of Kazakhstan to promote academic cooperation in preparation for the establishment of the first Central Asian Research Unit in Thailand.

In Kazakhstan, H.E. Mrs. Piyapin Niyomrerks, Ambassador of Thailand to Kazakhstan, led the Thai delegation to meet with leading universities and research institutions, including Nazarbayev University, Maqsut Narikbayev University, Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, Suleyman Demirel University, and the Kazakhstan Institute for Strategic Studies. Discussions focused on promoting academic collaboration, the establishment of the Central Asian Research Unit under the Institute of Asian Studies, personnel and student exchanges, joint research initiatives, and the possibility of signing of Memorandum of Understanding between institutions.

The delegation also met with Mr. Farid Damirli, Deputy Secretary-General of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), and presented a Royal Barge Suphannahong replica as a gift from Thailand for display in the permanent exhibition at the new CICA Headquarters. The Thai delegation also took part in the Kazakhstan Energy Week 2025, the country’s largest energy forum.

During the visit to the Kyrgyz Republic, the delegation held discussions with the Kyrgyz National University to enhance academic cooperation and met with Mr. Kuban Kabaev, Deputy Director of the Political Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kyrgyz Republic, to explore ways to further strengthen bilateral relations, including the establishment of a bilateral consultation mechanism between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Thailand and the Kyrgyz Republic.