Sri Lankan passport holders travelling to Thailand wouldn’t be eligible for visa-free entry from 15 September, 2026, according to a new visa notice issued by the Royal Thai Embassy in Colombo.

Under the new measures, all Sri Lankan travellers will be required to obtain a Thai visa before departing for Thailand. Visa applications must be submitted online through Thailand’s official e-Visa system.

The Royal Thai Embassy in Colombo has also clarified that it will not accept visa applications submitted in person or in physical form.

According to the Embassy, tourist visa applications submitted by Sri Lankan passport holders are expected to take approximately 3–7 working days, calculated from the date on which all required documents have been duly completed and submitted.

Processing times for Non-Immigrant Visa and DTV (Destination Thailand Visa) applications may take longer.

Foreign nationals residing in Sri Lanka or the Maldives who hold valid work or residence permits may also require additional processing time.

The Embassy has cautioned applicants that it reserves the right to request additional documents or information when necessary. Applicants may also be asked to attend a visa interview on a case-by-case basis.

The new requirement represents a significant change for Sri Lankan travellers, who will need to complete the visa process before travelling to Thailand from September 15 onward.

The Embassy has urged applicants to rely only on its official communication channels for the latest visa requirements, procedures and updates.

A comprehensive new media initiative is officially underway in Sri Lanka following the official signing of agreements with the French media development agency, Canal France International (CFI), and the Sri Lanka Press Institute (SLPI) yesterday. Backed by the European Union-funded Green Recovery Facility programme, the “Media Capacity Building Programme for the Promotion of the Green Transition” aims to strengthen the reporting of environmental, climate, and economic stories across the country.

Environmental journalism in Sri Lanka has traditionally given significant attention to natural disasters and their impacts. This initiative provides an opportunity for journalists to broaden this coverage by exploring a wider range of environmental issues, including climate finance, green investment, sustainable development, biodiversity, and the policy and economic dimensions of the green transition.

The programme will support journalists in strengthening their technical and investigative skills to explore these issues in greater depth and produce sustained, evidence-based reporting. Participants will be equipped with tools to analyse complex climate finance issues, examine public policies, and follow the flow and impact of green investments.

For Sri Lanka, ‘green transition’ is not an abstract concept; it is a pathway to urgently needed macroeconomic stability and sustainable growth. However, for this transition to succeed, the public must be well-informed, and institutions must be held accountable.

By empowering reporters to translate highly technical financial and governance concepts into accessible public-interest narratives, this project ensures that everyday citizens understand how green policies impact their livelihoods, energy prices, and communities. Crucially, it aims to mainstream the lens of ‘just transition’ and gender equity by encouraging the voices and perspectives of women and vulnerable populations to be heard, considered, and taken into account in the national environmental discourse.

The programme is designed to deliver high-impact, nationwide action. Implemented by Expertise France (EF), in partnership with Canal France International (CFI), the Sri Lanka Press Institute (SLPI), and the Ministry of Mass Media as the primary institutional beneficiary, it moves beyond traditional classroom-based learning.

Key highlights of the initiative include:

Trilingual Foundation Training: Intensive capacity building for 60 journalists across Sinhala, Tamil, and English media to ensure nationwide reach and inclusivity.

Mentored “Story Labs”: The rollout of six intensive Story Labs where journalists will receive direct editorial mentoring to investigate, produce, and publish high-quality, data-driven green transition stories

Youth Outreach: Engaging journalism students and young media practitioners through university and youth activities to develop stories on green transition and public policy issues.

Learning and Sharing Networking Event: Bringing together journalists, experts, policymakers, and key stakeholders to share learning, showcase stories produced through the programme, reflect on knowledge gained, and develop future story ideas on green transition issues.

CLA Chief denied opportunity to meet Justice Minister

Concern raised about rejection of request for full bench

Exercise of authority must conform to constitutional principles

CLA takes exception to refusal of request to make oral submissions

The Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA) has questioned procedural fairness and other matters of concern in a report that deals with the Supreme Court hearing petitions against the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution. Among the issues raised by CLA President Steven Thiru, is the composition of the five-member bench.

Mentioning the order of seniority of the judges of the Supreme Court as follows: (1) Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena (2) Justice Yasantha Kodagoda (3) Justice A. H. M. D. Nawaz (4) Justice Shiran Gooneratne (5) Justice Janak de Silva (6) Justice Achala Wengappuli (7) Justice Mahinda Samayawardhena (8) Justice Arjuna Obeyesekere (9) Justice Dr. Sobhitha Rajakaruna (10) Justice Menaka Wijesundera (11) Justice Sampath B. Abeykoon (12) Justice M. Sampath K.B. Wijeratne and (13) Justice K. M. G. H. Kulatunga, CLA President has said: “It is therefore notable that the five-member bench hearing the petitions did not include the four judges immediately senior to Justice Achala Wengappuli, namely Justice Yasantha Kodagoda, Justice A. H. M. D. Nawaz, Justice Shiran Gooneratne, and Justice Janak de Silva.”

The CLA has stated that the first issue of concern relates to the application for the recusal of the Chief Justice. The Petitioners have raised a potential conflict of interest, pointing out that the Chief Justice would be the first Supreme Court judge to benefit from the proposed amendment. Against that background, they submitted that the petitions should be heard by a bench comprising the other judges of the Supreme Court. The application was denied.

The second issue of concern is the refusal of the request that the petitions be heard by a full bench comprising all the sitting judges of the Supreme Court. It is accepted that the Chief Justice is vested with authority in relation to the constitution of benches. The exercise of that authority, however, must be consistent with the applicable constitutional and legal principles, and must not give the appearance of being arbitrary or irrational. It is not unusual in matters of critical constitutional importance, such as these petitions, for a larger or full bench to be empanelled. There are examples of this in other common law jurisdictions, including the seminal Supreme Court of India case of Kesavananda Bharati v. State of Kerala, AIR 1973 SC 1461.

The CLA has categorised the composition of the SC bench as the third issue of concern.

Steven Thiru has stated: “The fourth issue of concern is the refusal by the Chief Justice to permit oral submissions in reply following the oral submission of the Interveners and the Respondent. The Petitioners were, however, permitted to make written submissions in reply within the stipulated time frame.”

The top CLA representative has disclose that he was not given an opportunity to meet Justice and National Integration Minister Harshana Nanayakkara and the Ministry Secretary Ayesha Jinasena.

Report on the visit of the President of the Commonwealth Lawyers Association to Sri Lanka to observe proceedings challenging the constitutionality of the Proposed 22nd Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka