On 3 February 2025, the Royal Thai Embassy in cooperation with the Royal Thai Honorary Consulate in Melbourne hosted the Victorian Parliamentary Friends of Thailand Networking Event. Organised to celebrate the formation of the Victorian Parliamentary Friendship Group with Thailand, the first Parliamentary Friends of Thailand Group to be established in an Australian state parliament, the event was attended by around 200 guests, including the Honourable David Hodgett MP and the Honourable Vicki Ward MP, Chairs of the Victorian Parliamentary Friends of Thailand Group, members of the Victorian Parliament, members of diplomatic and consular corps, representatives from government, business sector, academia as well as Thai communities in Melbourne.

In her opening remarks, H.E. Ms. Arjaree Sriratanaban, Ambassador of Thailand to Australia, welcomed the formation of the parliamentary friendship group, which was another milestone in the longstanding relations between Thailand and Australia and Thailand and Victoria. She underscored the role that parliamentarians play in enhancing cooperation and friendship and expressed her readiness to engage and work with all members of the Group, currently 27, to promote mutual understanding and to foster opportunities and partnerships between Thailand and Victoria and Australia more broadly. Areas of potential, which have been highlighted, include deepening trade and investment between Thailand and Australia, further developing collaboration and partnerships on education, research and innovation to deal with future challenges, and nurturing the close people-to-people ties. Noting contribution of Thai communities and businesses, the Ambassador sought continued support from Victoria’s government and parliament for them. She also expressed appreciation to Mrs. Tessa Sullivan OAM, Honorary Consul of Thailand, for the latter’s dedication and active role, and to members of the Thai community and businesses who supported the event.