He returned earlier this week to tell his Irish counterparts that he wants to eradicate the so-called blind spots that exist in Thai-Irish relations. Unfortunately, there are plenty of them as both countries have overlooked one another's great potential even though they each have their own distinct competitive advantages.

It is amazing that it has taken Thailand this long to send a delegation to Ireland. Kantathi's three-day working visit to Ireland is the first such trip to the country by a Thai foreign minister.

Ireland, dubbed by many the "Celtic Tiger", is considered to be one of the hottest economic performers in the European Union (EU). Over the past decade, the country has transformed itself from having one of the poorest economies in Europe to taking a leadership position at the forefront of IT and research and development.

Dublin is shining and is frequently named right alongside the great capitals of the world such as New York, London and Tokyo. The city is brilliant, brimming with energy and everywhere the good life is visible. Irish bureaucrats and businessmen are confident and talking in grand terms of what their country can do for others in terms of investment and assistance. Some might say such talk is very Irish indeed, taking as exemplars people like Bono or Bob Geldof, who are out to save the world from debt and disease.

The message from Thailand's perspective is clear. Thailand can be Ireland's partner in Southeast Asia because it is centrally located and has free-trade agreements with several countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Irish tourists love to come to Phuket and tan themselves on Koh Samui, however there are no direct flights between Dublin and Bangkok.

Ireland has excelled by offering low corporate taxes to attract key US multinational companies. In briefing after briefing, Irish officials have reiterated that proper planning and strong education are pivotal for the success of an economy. It came as no surprise that seven out of 10 US technology and information firms - close to 1,200 companies - have offices in the country.

Despite this already impressive growth, it seems that Ireland wants more. It wants to spread its growth overseas. At Enterprise Ireland, a foreign trade promotion body, officials there were very excited to talk about how they are helping Irish-based companies penetrate new markets in Asia. Unfortunately, all of the newly published guidelines for doing business in the region focus on China, Japan, South Korea and India. Nothing was mentioned concerning Thailand.

Fortunately, Thai and Irish officials readily admit that one of the factors behind this mutual ignorance has been the lack of people-to-people exchanges, apart from tourism. Currently only eight Thai students are studying at the University College in Dublin - one of the country's world-class universities. A brief tour of the UCD campus reveals how Thai students might benefit from the hands-on and innovative approaches to learning offered by the institute. The marriage of industry and the business community inside a campus atmosphere that encourages students to learn and excel has become a template for Ireland's higher education. This kind of knowledge transfer through practical learning has never been attempted in Thailand. Indeed, developing this type of knowledge-based economy could be beneficial in increasing Thailand's economic competitiveness.

All hope is not lost for relations between the two countries, as the Thai honorary consul in Dublin told me. Thai food is gaining in popularity according to Pat Dinnen, who has held the position of consul since 1980. He has witnessed a transformation in how Dubliners relate to Thailand. Ten years ago, there were only a few Thai restaurants. "Now there are 50 of them and growing," he said.

His office provides about 2,000 visas per year to Irish citizens planning to stay in Thailand for more than three months. He estimated that at least 20,000 to 30,000 Irish tourists, who do not require such visas, visit Thailand each year.

Kavi Chongkittavorn

The Nation

Dublin