Upgrade your membership plan for the full website experience.
View Membership Plans
June 10, 2025

Thailand Moves to Strengthen Bilateral and Multilateral Relations

Thai PM visit to Vietnam may 2025
— https://www.mfa.go.th/en/content/official-visit-to-vietnam-2025-en?page=5d5bd3cb15e39c306002a9ac&menu=5d5bd3cb15e39c306002a9ad
June 10, 2025

In May, Thailand’s Prime Minister Paetongtarn engaged in a series of high-level diplomatic and economic engagements reinforcing Thailand’s international and regional partnerships. During her first official visit to Vietnam on May 15 - 16, Prime Minister Paetongtarn  and Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh elevated both countries relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership and committed to boosting bilateral trade to US$25 billion annually. On May 19, Prime Minister Paetongtarn welcomed Indonesia’s President Prabowo Subianto in Bangkok, where both leaders agreed to upgrade ties to a strategic partnership focused on greater trade, investment, tourism and cooperation in combating cybercrime. Later in the month, Prime Minister Paetongtarn visited UK and Monaco to promote Thailand’s soft power and explore new market opportunities for Thai businesses, including a proposal to host a city-circuit Formula One race in Thailand.

At the recent 46th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Prime Minister Paetongtarn joined ASEAN leaders in calling for broader economic cooperation and integration of supply chains within the bloc. Prime Minister Paetongtarn stressed the need to utilize the ASEAN FTA to its full potential amidst global trade uncertainties. Thailand is also committed to driving ASEAN’s 2045 vision, focusing on green finance, climate action, clean energy, and digital transition.

On the multilateral front, Thailand hosted the 2025 OECD Southeast Asia Regional Forum in Bangkok under the theme, “The OECD and Southeast Asia: Partnership for Prosperity”. Thailand’s Foreign Affairs Minister Maris Sangiampongsa highlighted Thailand’s reform efforts toward open markets, sustainable growth and rising to OECD standards as part of the country’s pursuit of OECD membership. Thailand is positioning itself as a strategic bridge between the OECD and Southeast Asia region and will submit an Initial Memorandum in December, 2025, as the entry step with a goal to complete accession by 2030.

Minister Maris also participated in the BRICS Partnership Session in Rio de Janeiro earlier in May, where a series of bilateral meetings took place on the sidelines to reaffirm Thailand’s commitment to the BRICS framework. During these talks, Thailand brought attention to the Thailand-Eurasian Economic Union (EEU) FTA and sought to advance more concrete negotiations on the matter with the EEU bloc, with further dialogue expected at the upcoming BRICS Summit 2025 in July.

Meanwhile, Thailand is also preparing to host the sixth round of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations with the European Union (EU) in Bangkok from June 23 – 27. Commerce Minister Pichai Naripthaphan noted the talks are entering a critical phase focused on market access, with four chapters already concluded – transparency, good regulatory practices, customs procedures and trade facilitation, and sustainable food systems. The government aims to finalize the FTA by the end of the year to expand trade, attract investment, and strengthen Thailand’s competitiveness. The EU is Thailand’s fourth-largest trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching US$43.5 billion in 2024.

Join the Council to continue reading this article
Enhance your business impact in Southeast Asia: Become a member of the US-ASEAN Business Council and tap into a network of possibilities.
Free Related Articles

Membership Plans

Corporate Council

Corporate membership provides general advocacy support, access to all country- and industry-specific updates, and access to most Council events.

  • Business missions to all 10 ASEAN markets which engage governments at the highest levels.
  • Off-the-record roundtables and policy briefings with senior government leaders in ASEAN and the U.S.
  • On-the-ground support for promoting your positions/policy priorities with policy makers.
  • Industry-specific, country-specific, cross-sector and regional advocacy through committees that target their engagement based on member priorities.
  • Advocacy on your behalf in situations where your company should not be directly identified or is unable to be present.

Chairman’s Council

Corporate membership provides general advocacy support, access to all country- and industry-specific updates, and access to most Council events.

  • All Corporate benefits.
  • Assistance with resolving company-specific trade or investment issues through our six regional offices and U.S.-based staff.
  • Develop effective advocacy strategies to impact policy concerns.
  • Identification of, and engagement with appropriate policy influencers to impact policy concerns.
  • Assistance in conducting follow-up after engaging government leaders (can include providing officials with additional materials, setting up meetings with their staff, getting a readout of the government’s reaction to the discussion).
  • Support for developing arguments that will resonate with target stakeholders.
  • Leading and setting the agenda and policy priorities of the Country and Industry Committees.