Australia is pressing Thailand for a return to democracy almost a year after it criticised the military for toppling the government of prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra.
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop met on Friday with the Thai military leader and Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha as part of an official visit.
Ms Bishop also held talks with Ms Yingluck and Abhisit Vejjajiva, opposition leader at the time of the military takeover.
She told reporters Australia was reiterating its stance in calling "for a return to democracy" in Thailand.
"We look forward to welcoming Thailand back into the countries that embrace democracy as a fundamental value," she said.
"I'm here to better understand the situation in Thailand and to gain some understanding of where politics will head over the coming months and years."
Australia, along with the United States and the European Union, was highly critical of the military takeover in May last year that ended months of anti-government protests and fears of rising street violence.
"Australia has made its views known in recent times about the political challenges (in Thailand)," Ms Bishop said.
"We'd want to support Thailand in returning to democracy, but ultimately the pace will be determined by the support that the Thai people give to this process."
The military government has a "road map" to general elections and a new draft constitution being debated in public. While elections had been scheduled for 2016, analysts say the vote may be delayed a further 12 months.
"We were concerned about the events here in Thailand and we stated so at the time," Ms Bishop said.
"My visit here is designed to understand more about the progress that is being made, and the return to democracy and the time frame in which that will occur," she said.
She denied Australia had to rebuild the bilateral relationship, seen by Thai commentators as having soured in the immediate aftermath of the military's takeover.
Ms Bishop held talks with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister General Tanasak Patimaprogorn, and launched a program for Australian students to live and study in Thailand.
In talks with Australian and Thai business leaders, Ms Bishop called for a review of the Thailand-Australia Free Trade Agreement, which was launched 10 years ago and has led to a doubling of trade.
Trade between the two countries reached $19.5 billion in 2013, making Thailand Australia's eighth largest goods and services partner, according to Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade data.
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