This article covers cultural relations between India and Thailand, education, the Indian community in Thailand, air connectivity and tourism, and the Royal Thai Embassy and consulates in India. It is based on the MEA bilateral brief of July 2026, and community and tourism figures are the estimates given in that brief. Contact details, the head of mission and the list of consulates are taken from the MEA Protocol Division register, read on 24 September 2026.
Royal visits and honours
According to the MEA brief of July 2026, HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn has been a regular visitor to India. She is a recipient of the Indira Gandhi Prize for Peace (2004), the first World Sanskrit Award (2016) and the Padma Bhushan (2017).
Chaokhun Phra Sineenatha Bilasakalyani, Royal Noble Consort, visited Gaya, Varanasi, Sarnath and Kushinagar from 21 to 30 January 2026. HRH Princess Sirivannavari Nariratna Rajakanya visited Jaipur, Jodhpur and Agra from 06-11 February 2026.
Holy Relics of Lord Buddha
At the request of the Government of Thailand, the Government of India sent the Holy Relics of Lord Buddha, along with those of two of his main disciples, Arahant Sariputta and Arahant Maha Moggallana, for public exposition in Thailand from 22 February to 19 March 2024. Over a period of 25 days, more than 4 million devotees from different parts of Thailand and neighbouring countries in the Mekong region paid tributes to the Sacred Relics.
Cultural centre and exchange programme
An Indian Cultural Centre was opened in Bangkok in September 2009. It has since been renamed the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre.
The India-Thailand Cultural Exchange Programme (CEP) for the years 2022-2027 was signed by the Minister of Culture of India and the Minister of Culture of Thailand in a virtual ceremony held on 22 December 2022. The brief states that regular visits of Indian cultural troupes to Thailand are organised, in addition to Indian film, food and other festivals.
Cultural moments during the 2019 visit
During Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's visit to Thailand for the 16th ASEAN and Related Summits in November 2019, he addressed a community event, "Sawasdee PM Modi", on 02 November. During the same visit he released a special commemorative coin to mark the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Devji and the Thai translation of the Tamil book Thirukkural.
International Day of Yoga
The 12th International Day of Yoga was celebrated in Bangkok on 21 June 2026 at the Chulalongkorn University grounds. Over 5000 yoga enthusiasts took part, including Government officials, Ambassadors, media, students, academia and members of the Indian diaspora.
Education
A Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the field of Education was signed in 2005. India offers around 120 scholarships annually to Thailand under various schemes.
As of the brief, there are 6 India Studies Centers and 17 India Corners in various Thai universities and institutions.
Padma awards
Besides the Padma Bhushan conferred on HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn in 2017, the brief lists two Thai recipients of the Padma Shri:
- HH Somdet Phra Ariyawongsakhatayan, the Supreme Patriarch of Thailand and an alumnus of BHU, received the Padma Shri in 2018.
- Dr. Chirapat Prapandvidya received the Padma Shri in March 2022 under the category of 'Literature and Education'.
The Indian community in Thailand
As of the brief, the total number of people of Indian origin in Thailand is estimated to be around 4 to 5 lakh, including more than 25,000 NRIs. The majority are concentrated in Bangkok.
The brief states that the community comprises mainly Punjabi Hindus, Namdhari and other Sikh sects, Gorakhpuris, Malayalis, Tamils, Gujaratis, Marwaris and Sindhis. Other linguistic and regional groups are also well represented.
Besides the Embassy of India in Bangkok, India has a Consulate in Chiang Mai in Northern Thailand. Indian nationals in Thailand who need consular help should approach these offices.
Air connectivity
As of the brief, Thailand is directly connected with more than 15 Indian cities, with over 500 weekly flights, subject to seasonal variation. The brief states that all major airlines operate between the two countries.
Tourism
The brief records that before Covid, around 1.9 million Indian tourists visited Thailand in 2019. As per the Ministry of Tourism and Sports of Thailand, around 2.48 million Indian tourists visited Thailand during 2025, a year on year increase of around 17%. This was around 6% of the total tourist inflow into Thailand, and Indians were the third largest group of tourists visiting Thailand in that period.
In the other direction, as per the Ministry of Tourism of India, around 0.13 million Thai tourists visited India in 2025, a year on year decrease of 7%.
Royal Thai Embassy in New Delhi
- Address: 56-N, Nyaya Marg, Chanakya Puri, New Delhi-110021
- Telephone: 011 24197200
- Email: thaiembassy.del@mfa.go.th
- Website: newdelhi.thaiembassy.org/en
According to the register, the head of mission is H.E. Ms. Chavanart Thangsumphant, Ambassador. The national day of Thailand is 5 December (National Day).
Consulates
The register lists consulates of Thailand in three Indian cities:
- Chennai
- Kolkata
- Mumbai
The brief also states that Thailand has 3 Consulates in India, in Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai, besides its Embassy in New Delhi. The register lists no honorary consulates of Thailand in India. The addresses and telephone numbers that the MEA register lists for these offices are shown on the Thailand country page on Diplo.
Visas and consular matters
India and Thailand have a Joint Working Group on Visa and Consular matters, one of the dialogue mechanisms listed in the brief. The brief contains no information on visa or e-visa requirements for travel in either direction.
Indian travellers going to Thailand should check current requirements with the Royal Thai Embassy or its consulates. Thai nationals planning to travel to India should confirm current requirements through official Indian government channels. Consulates can differ in the matters they handle, so anyone with a visa, passport or other consular matter should confirm the current requirements and procedure directly with the Royal Thai Embassy in New Delhi or the relevant consulate.