1 week Ago
The government plans to sign free-trade agreements with all members of the European Union this year, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said. She made the remarks upon returning to Thailand on Saturday after attending the 2025 World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting in Davos, Switzerland. On Jan 23, Ms Paetongtarn attended the signing ceremony for the free-trade agreement (FTA) between Thailand and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) on the sidelines of the WEF.
The FTA was signed on behalf of the EFTA states by representatives of Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein. The agreement is the first FTA signed during the current government. In addition to strengthening economic relations between Thailand and EFTA member countries, the FTA will promote closer cooperation in areas such as advanced technology and innovation, human capital development, SME promotion, and sustainable development.
Ms Paetongtarn said the government is also seeking to sign free-trade agreements with the remaining EU member countries by the end of this year to enable Thai businesses to establish a foothold in the EU bloc. "[Signing the FTA with the EFTA member countries] is a success for Thailand. All cabinet ministers in the delegation were proud to sign the agreement," the prime minister said.
During the trip, she also met foreign investors to discuss investment opportunities in future industries, including the semiconductor industry, data centres, and green energy. She urged those companies to help upskill Thai workers to align with advanced technologies if they decide to establish production plants in Thailand. Ms Paetongtarn also mentioned Google, which is building a new cloud data centre in Chon Buri as part of its plans to expand its presence in Thailand.
She added Google will also contribute to upskilling Thai workers. Regarding the 1-trillion-baht Land Bridge megaproject, Ms Paetongtarn said DP World, a global supply chain and logistics giant based in Dubai, is expected to be a major investor in the project. Government spokesman Jirayu Houngsub said Ms Paetongtarn met high-level executives from the world's leading firms at the 55th WEF in Switzerland.
One of the highlights was a discussion with Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, CEO of global logistics giant DP World. DP World expressed strong interest in enhancing Thailand's logistics capabilities, including expanding its Inland Container Depot (ICD) and exploring potential investments in the Land Bridge project to connect Asean with global trade networks, Mr Jirayu said. Ms Paetongtarn added the WEF provided Thailand with an opportunity to showcase the country's potential and opportunities to the global community.
She assured foreign investors that Thailand is ready..
