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Suwapong Sirisorn, the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Thailand to Nepal, is a distinguished diplomat with a career in foreign affairs spanning over three decades. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science (International Affairs) from Thammasat University, Thailand, and a Master of Arts in Policy Sciences from Saitama University, Japan. Since joining the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1989, he has held key diplomatic positions across Asia and Europe, including Consul-General in Frankfurt and Minister at the Royal Thai Embassy in Berlin. In recognition of his exemplary service, he has been honored with prestigious national decorations, including the Knight Grand Cross (First Class) of the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant. Pratik Ghimire of ApEx spoke with him about Nepal-Thai relations. Excerpts:

How do you see the current state of Nepal-Thailand relations?

Thailand and Nepal established diplomatic relations in 1959 or 66 years ago. The relationship between our two countries has always been excellent, based on mutual trust, respect, and understanding. We also share deep Buddhist ties and Nepal as the birthplace of Lord Buddha, is a sacred destination for Thai pilgrims. We have close cooperation in various fields.

I would like to highlight some examples which demonstrate that our two countries have worked together to overcome difficult situations. After the earthquake in 2015, Thai people donated money and volunteered to help reconstruct houses and basic infrastructures, and delivered food and medical assistance to Nepali people. With donations from Thai people, the Royal Thai Government can conduct various projects throughout Nepal. Furthermore, during the Covid-19 outbreak, Thailand provided medical equipment and supplies to Nepal on various occasions including the Royal Assents bestowed by His Majesty the King, the Royal Thai Government, and people of Thailand’s contribution. This shows the warm and cordial ties between our two countries at all levels.

Could you please shed light on the key areas of bilateral cooperation?

We are enhancing cooperation with Nepal in various aspects including, economic, tourism, religion, culture, and education. Thailand has continuously supported human resources development and Nepal’s Sustainable Development Goals by providing scholarships for higher education, sharing knowledge, and best practices. Thailand also partners with other countries and international organizations to offer training courses relevant to the current global landscape. At the same time, our two countries have always worked closely together and supported each other in many international and regional fora including the United Nations and BIMSTEC.

In terms of cultural cooperation, the Royal Thailand Embassy has organized several activities to strengthen the cultural ties between the two countries including Thai Festival in Nepal, Thai Food Festival, and Thai Film Festival in Nepal. For economic cooperation, we also encourage businessmen and industrialists from both Nepal and Thailand to seize this transformative opportunity to enhance trade and investment by focusing on key sectors such as tourism, IT, agriculture, and clean energy.

Tell us about the Thai cooperation in Lumbini.

The Royal Thai Government constructed the Royal  Thai Monastery in Lumbini in 1995. The Thai Monastery in Lumbini, not only plays a significant role in spreading Lord Buddha’s teaching but also conducts social support for Nepali communities in Lumbini. Since 2011 the Royal Thai Monastery in Lumbini and the Royal Thai have been organizing free cataract surgical workshops called Brightness to the Nepal’s Eye Project to improve the quality of life of vulnerable and deprived people in Lumbini and nearby areas who are suffering from cataract and eye-related problems. The medical team from Thailand led by a specialist from Ramathibodi Hospital, joined hands with Tilganga Institute in eye surgery and treatments.  Moreover, the Royal Thai Monastery integrated with Thai and Nepali hospitals also organized free Knee Replacement Operation project, Urolithiasis (bladder-stone) Treatment Project, and weekly dental treatments in Lumbini.

What is the current status of Thail investment in Nepal and what are the potentials?

At present, Thai investment in Nepal remains modest, but there is considerable potential for growth. According to official records up to fiscal year 2022/23, the Government of Nepal approved 13 projects involving Thai investors, with a total value of around $7.76m. However, the actual investment realized so far is about $900,000, which accounts for only 12 percent of the approved amount. This indicates that while interest exists, many projects have yet to fully materialize.

Despite these relatively small figures, we see significant opportunities ahead. First, Nepal has a young and dynamic population—around half of its 30m citizens are under the age of 30—offering a promising labor force capable of driving economic growth. Moreover, Nepal is on track to graduate from Least Developed Country (LDC) status by 2026, a milestone that reflects its progress in economic and social development. As the country adapts to this new status, we expect an increasingly conducive environment for international trade and foreign direct investment.

Looking ahead, there are several key sectors in Nepal that hold particular interest for Thai businesses. Tourism is a natural fit given Thailand’s strong expertise in hospitality and services, and Nepal’s remarkable cultural and natural attractions. Hydropower is another promising field, given Nepal’s abundant water resources and the potential for sustainable energy development. Additionally, infrastructure, healthcare, and agriculture offer possibilities for collaboration, technology transfer, and investment.

We at the Royal Thai Embassy are working to raise awareness among Thai entrepreneurs about the opportunities in these sectors. Part of that effort involves providing market information, organizing business forums, and fostering connections between Thai and Nepali companies. Last year on 16th of September we organized the Focus Group Discussion on “Embrace Nepal’s Post-LDC Era for Thai Economic Opportunities” which gathered key stakeholders from Thailand and Nepal to discuss economic opportunities of Nepal which may arise from the LDC graduation. We believe that building strong partnerships on the ground is crucial. For instance, joint ventures or knowledge-sharing initiatives can help Thai investors navigate local regulations, distribution networks, and cultural nuances more effectively. At the same time, we encourage the Nepali government and private sector to continue facilitating a favorable business environment. This includes enhancing transparency, streamlining regulatory processes, and improving infrastructure—steps that will make Nepal even more attractive for Thai investors and businesspeople.

What about interaction at the top political level?

We exchanged several heads of government and high-ranking government officials’ visits including the visits of the President of Nepal and the Minister of Defense of Nepal to Thailand in 2017, the Prime Minister of Thailand visited Nepal for the BIMSTEC Summit in 2018. We are looking forward to increasing high-level visits with the Nepal side to strengthen cooperation between our two countries.

What are the future areas in which Thailand wants to engage with Nepal?

I believe that there is lots of potential to expand our cooperation and work as cooperative partners in this area of interest. I would like to highlight the area of “Tourism” since Nepal is rich in cultural heritage and has such a unique landscape and the country. We can share experiences of the development of our tourism sectors especially in hospitality training, logistic management, and safety measures for tourists. Furthermore, Thailand and Nepal can work together to promote the Buddhist circuit to draw the attention of international tourists to the historical Buddhist sites in Thailand and Nepal. The Royal Thai Embassy is willing to coordinate with the Nepali side to enhance tourism cooperation between the two countries.

Pavit Nanda Anand is Communication Lead for the Asia Pacific (APAC) region at inDrive, a global mobility and urban services platform headquartered in Mountain View, California. With over 15 years of experience in public relations and communications, she has been instrumental in launching and expanding inDrive’s services across multiple countries, including Nepal, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. Excerpts:

What safety measures does inDrive have in place to ensure passenger and driver security during rides?

inDrive places a strong emphasis on safety and maintains a strict zero-tolerance policy against any offensive or unlawful behavior by users, strongly condemning inappropriate conduct. User safety and satisfaction, particularly women's safety, are among our top priorities to ensure a secure and comfortable ride experience. To achieve this, inDrive has implemented various safety features. The safety button, represented by a shield icon on the main screen, allows users to quickly contact support, call the police, or request an ambulance. The trusted contact feature enables users to save the phone number of a trusted person for quick access in emergencies, even during a ride. 

Additionally, both passengers and drivers can share their ride details with friends or family, providing real-time updates on the route, driver or passenger information, and vehicle details. Users are also encouraged to rate their driver or passenger after each trip, with the option to contact support if any concerns arise. By integrating these features, inDrive ensures that all users—whether passengers or drivers—feel safe and confident while using the platform.

Does inDrive have partnerships with local insurance companies to provide coverage?

Yes, inDrive collaborates with Sagarmatha Lumbini Insurance Company Limited (SALICO) to offer accident coverage to its users in Nepal. By partnering with reputable insurance companies, inDrive ensures that passengers and drivers have access to reliable financial protection in case of accidents. These partnerships enable a seamless claims process, allowing affected individuals to receive compensation without unnecessary delays. The collaboration also helps inDrive maintain high safety and service standards, reinforcing its commitment to user well-being. Such partnerships are vital in Nepal’s growing ride-hailing sector, as they enhance trust between inDrive and its users. By working with well-established insurance providers, inDrive ensures compliance with local regulations while offering comprehensive coverage tailored to the needs of its driver-partners and passengers.

What type of accidental insurance coverage does inDrive provide for passengers and drivers?

inDrive provides accidental insurance coverage to both passengers and drivers to ensure their safety and financial security in case of an accident. This coverage includes compensation for death, permanent disability, and medical expenses resulting from an accident during a ride booked through the inDrive platform. In the unfortunate event of death or permanent total disability of a passenger or driver, a compensation amount of Rs 800,000 will be provided. If the accident leads to injuries requiring medical treatment, inDrive offers reimbursement of up to Rs 80,000 for medical expenses.

For minor passengers, the compensation amount will be 50 percent of the insured amount, ensuring adequate financial support for their families. This insurance service is a significant step towards enhancing trust and confidence among users, ensuring they feel safe while using inDrive’s ride-hailing services.By providing financial protection, inDrive aims to create a secure environment where both drivers and passengers can focus on their journeys without concerns about potential risks.

How does inDrive handle emergency situations, and is there an SOS button or emergency contact feature in the app?

Yes, inDrive has multiple safety measures to handle emergency situations, with the Safety Button (shield icon) being one of the key features designed to assist users during critical moments. If a passenger or driver faces an emergency, they can quickly tap the shield icon to reach inDrive’s 24/7 support team for immediate assistance. This feature also allows users to directly contact local emergency services, such as the police or an ambulance, ensuring swift response in urgent situations.

Additionally, inDrive provides an extra layer of security through the trusted contact feature, enabling users to assign a family member or friend for quick access during emergencies. These measures ensure that inDrive users have reliable and immediate access to help when needed, reinforcing trust and safety within its ride-hailing network.

Vinisha Shrestha is a seasoned banking professional with over 28 years of experience at Nabil Bank, where she currently leads as the Head of the Treasury Department. Her journey in banking began unexpectedly, initially intending to pursue higher studies abroad, but her dedication and passion for the field kept her engaged, propelling her to a leadership role. Excerpts:

How would you define your banking career, from starting as a junior staff to becoming the head of a department, especially as a woman?

I began my journey in banking somewhat unexpectedly, as I originally planned to pursue higher studies abroad and took the job to gain some workplace experience utilizing my free time. However, I started to enjoy my banking job and found myself continuing till now. It has been more than 28 years since I joined Nabil Bank. My journey with the bank had its fair share of opportunities as well as challenges. I had always been a dedicated and hard working person but despite hard work and best efforts, sometimes results did not come in my favor. It’s human nature to feel disappointed in such a situation and I was no different. However, I kept my spirit high and always gave my best to the organization and when next opportunities came I tried harder and today I am in the position of leading a department.

How do you manage to balance your professional responsibilities and personal life?

Managing professional and personal responsibilities and maintaining a balance is definitely a challenge, especially for a woman in a patriarchal society like ours where a woman is expected to take on more family responsibilities. While you cannot compromise on professional responsibilities, you are expected to manage household chores, kids, family and other social responsibilities as well. These things add an extra layer of pressure to perform your professional duties. Fortunately, I have a very understanding, supportive and encouraging support system at home, which makes it easier for me to balance my professional and personal life. I think it is a matter of firm self-determination toward your career goal and setting clear boundaries where sometimes you need to learn to say “no” as well.

Given that women are underrepresented in senior banking positions, what steps do you think should be taken to address this gap?

It is not just in banking, women are underrepresented in senior positions across all professions. Generally speaking, despite having the same education and skills, women often face barriers like unconscious bias, societal expectations and a lack of mentorship and adequate opportunities that hinder their career progression. In order to address this, there should be policy level interventions to promote equal opportunities, implement flexible work policies to support work-life balance, encourage mentorship from senior leaders and provide training to prevent unconscious gender biases. 

Women themselves should also not lose their focus toward their career goal and remain driven and determined to achieve their career dreams. 

In many cases it can be observed that women become submissive to societal pressures and give up on their career dreams and remain content after reaching a certain level. Why I am saying this is because at entry and mid levels, women outperform their male counterparts however they are left behind in the race to top management positions which proves that it is not because of lack of capability but due to lack of determination and drive to succeed professionally.

What is your advice for young women who aspire to build a successful career in banking?

Young people should understand that there is no alternative to hard work and there are no shortcuts for success. Young women aspiring to build a successful career in the banking sector need to be ready to work hard and continuously invest in gaining relevant qualifications and skills. The world around us is extremely competitive. Gaining advanced degrees or certifications alone won’t be enough to get success, you need to have required soft skills like communication, networking, rapport build up and must have a learning attitude. Challenges and setbacks are a part of the journey so you need to stay resilient and never give up on your goals. 

Rahul Barua is the Secretary General of the South Asia Foundation. He holds a B.Tech in Chemical Engineering from the Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University (now IIT-BHU), and currently serves as a Visiting Faculty at Malaviya Peace Research Centre, Banaras Hindu University. In 1997, he established the first-ever crafts development center in Sikkim, introducing microcredit and self-help groups in the region. 

He also developed a potter’s village on the outskirts of New Delhi, named Kumhargram. Additionally, he founded the South Asia Centre for Peace Research and Sustainable Development in collaboration with Lumbini Buddhist University. Baruwa has played a significant role in peace-building efforts in Nepal, facilitating meetings between Nepali and Indian political parties.  He worked alongside prominent figures such as Sitaram Yechury and Dr DP Tripathi as well as Nepali leaders like Pradeep Giri, Girija Prasad Koirala, Krishna Prasad Mahara, Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Madhav Kumar Nepal, among others. ApEx talked to him on wide-range of issues related to Nepal-India relations. Excerpts: 

What is the South Asia Foundation? Please tell us about its activities.

The South Asia Foundation is a Nepal-registered organization. In collaboration with the Lumbini Buddhist University, we established the South Asia Centre for Peace Research and Sustainable Development. A few years ago, around 5,000 people visited the Maya Devi Temple — a sacred site for followers of Buddha’s teachings — daily. Today, the number has risen to 7,000, with an additional 15,000 visiting Lumbini. Gautam Buddha is not just a figure for Nepal or India, he is a South Asian face for global peace and humanity. His teachings — tolerance, peaceful co-existence, compassion and moving away from materialism — are more relevant than ever in today’s conflict-ridden world. 

This center was conceptualized years ago, and it is very encouraging that Lumbini Buddhist University has provided it with land and necessary infrastructure.  The center not only disseminates knowledge about Buddha but also offers academic diploma courses designed in collaboration with the university. Many top universities of India and South Asian, along with experts, academicians and retired government officials are eager to engage with the center to share their knowledge and expertise with students.

We aim to facilitate Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with Lumbini Buddhist University and other universities all over the world. We are in negotiations with the best universities of the South Asian countries. Best minds have come forward and we are collaborating in multiple forms. Several MoUs have already been signed.

What are the other areas that the Foundation and the Center are working on?

We are working on several bilateral issues such as water sharing and border management among others. In 2017, former Indian Ambassador to Nepal, Manjeev Singh Puri, highlighted how Nepali living in India are contributing significantly to the Indian economy. Gone are the days when Nepalis were limited to roles like security guards or menial jobs. Today, they are entrepreneurs running restaurants, manpower agencies and online service providers. 

One area of focus is Nepal’s potential to supply dairy products, especially ghee, to South Asia. Milk production is falling in Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, as well as in the Nepal-India border regions. Nepal can fill this gap by supplying dairy products not only to India but also to other South Asian countries. There should be duty-free agreement on these items between Nepal and India. The Foundation operates without foreign funding, relying entirely on internal resources.  We are training Nepali women to become entrepreneurs and have partnered with India’s dairy giant Amul to make the dairy sector organized. There are many areas where we can work together.

Can you please tell us about the light and sound program being launched in Lumbini?

We have signed a MoU for this project and are raising funds locally. Several banks have agreed to support us, though they have their own terms and conditions as per the law and banking regulations. This light and sound program is the first of this kind in Nepal and one of the few in the world dedicated to narrating the story of Lord Buddha. Our goal is to spread the message of peace, compassion and Buddha’s teachings which are relevant even today. We are doing a lot of work on DPR and research from our own funds.  We are receiving technical assistance from a British company. The idea for this light and sound program was proposed to me by Sujeet Shakya of Kathmandu Guest House.

Last week, you organized an important seminar in New Delhi. What were the key outcomes?

The seminar was organized to facilitate knowledge-sharing between Lumbini Buddhist University and other universities in India.  Renowned professors, academics and historians participated in the seminar and shared their insights. They also pledged to support our initiatives. 

Five universities and two institutions have agreed to collaborate with the Lumbini Buddhist University and the Center on joint research, student and faculty exchange programs, seminars, conferences and academic partnerships. We also held sideline meetings with Nepali political leaders and other stakeholders. 

Many more universities have expressed interest in supporting Lumbini Buddhist University. During the seminar, Nepali delegates also engaged with Indian leaders and diplomats, discussing Nepal’s ongoing development and its emergence as a dynamic nation. Over the past two decades, not only has India undergone rapid changes, but Nepal has also transformed significantly.  These changes need to be acknowledged, understood and embraced.

How do you assess the current state of Nepal-India relations?

Nepal and India are both sovereign countries and must mutually respect each other. Both sides share the responsibility to strengthen this relationship. The two countries are equals, each holding their own vote in the United Nations and other multilateral organizations. There is no thing as a ‘big’ or ‘small’ country. Mutual respect is essential to foster a healthy relationship. India’s prosperity should benefit Nepal as well, and vice versa.

What are your suggestions for future prospects?

There has been significant progress in energy cooperation, which is a positive step. However, we should expand student exchange programs on a large-scale, moving beyond limited scholarship schemes. Other potential areas of collaboration include agriculture and dairy productions. India should encourage joint projects in Nepal to further deepen bilateral ties.

How do you view the growing Chinese influence in Kathmandu?

I do not consider Chinese influence as a dominant factor in Nepal-India relations. China has its own aspirations of becoming a geopolitical leader, but what often gets overlooked is the unique and special relationship between Nepal and India rooted in shared social, historical and cultural ties and linguistic similarities.