During a significant meeting at the Élysée Palace in Paris, Anutin Charnvirakul and Emmanuel Macron committed to transforming the relationship between Thailand and France into a strategic partnership. These official talks highlighted potential enhancements in several domains, including trade, investment, cybersecurity, defense, and advanced technology. The leaders took the opportunity to discuss regional issues, particularly those involving Cambodia and Myanmar.
The dialogue resulted in an agreement to bolster collaboration in sectors such as alternative energy, aerospace, aviation, smart power grids, and artificial intelligence infrastructure. With France affirming its backing, both nations aim to finalize the Thailand-European Union free trade agreement within the current year. This negotiation, which originally began in 2013 but faced a hiatus in 2014, was revived in 2023. Thai representatives anticipate that the agreement will unlock substantial economic opportunities for both countries.
In addition to economic ties, the two nations vowed to enhance cooperation in defense and cybersecurity. This includes tackling challenges like cybercrime, online scams, and transnational digital threats. On the topic of regional affairs, Thailand expressed its dedication to settling border disputes with Cambodia through peaceful dialogue and adherence to international law.
Both countries also announced their intention to activate the Joint Action Plan to Strengthen the Thai-French Partnership for 2026-2028, which is expected to lay the groundwork for a strategic partnership. This initiative underscores the commitment to deeper bilateral ties and cooperation across various sectors.
During his stay in France, Anutin engaged with top executives from leading French companies such as Airbus, Imerys, EssilorLuxottica, IN Groupe, and Thales Group. These meetings were aimed at encouraging further investments into Thailand’s burgeoning high-tech and future industries. The French business leaders expressed optimism about Thailand’s investment landscape, with Airbus specifically confirming plans to broaden its aviation and engineering operations within the country.