On 8 June 2023, the Royal Thai Embassy in Madrid, in collaboration with the International Studies Center (ISC), Devawongse Varopakarn Institute of Foreign Affairs (DVIFA), the Embassy of Spain in Thailand, and Casa Asia (agency supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union, and Cooperation of Spain) co-hosted the 1st Thailand-Spain Forum at Narathip Auditorium, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand. At the event, Ms. Busadee Santipitaks, Deputy Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, and Mr. Javier Salido Ortiz, Director General for North America, Eastern Europe, Asia and the Pacific. Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of Spain, delivered opening remarks.

The Forum focuses on three main topics in Thailand-Spain relations, namely “Geopolitical Changes in the Indo-Pacific: Views from Thailand and Spain”, “Good Practices of Thailand and Spain in the Tourism Sector: Opportunities for Collaboration”, and “Promotion of the Spanish language and culture in Thailand and of the Thai language and culture in Spain”. The three topics were discussed by distinguished speakers from Thailand and Spain. More than 100 participants joined the event.

On 9 June 2023, the Embassy also arranged for the Spanish delegation to visit the Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) and Wat Pho (Temple of the Reclining Buddha).

The Thailand-Spain Forum is considered an expansion of Thai-Spanish cooperation into to the academic/civil society dimension in addition to the promotion of cooperation between government agencies. It aims at promoting dialogues, exchanging ideas and information, and offering expert opinions on various issues of common interests. Apart from Thailand, Spain also has a Forum with a few Asian countries such as Japan, South Korea, Indonesia, and the Philippines.