Southeast Asia Information Port News (www.dnyxxg.com) On April 29, 2026, His Excellency Sihasak Phongkchok, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, attended and delivered a keynote speech at the Thai-Europe Business Association (TEBA) themed cocktail party, "Promoting Thai-Europe Business Cooperation, Creating a Shared Future," at the Peninsula Hotel in Bangkok. More than 200 elites from various sectors in Thailand and Europe gathered at the event, including His Excellency Yochanan Wongsawat, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation of Thailand; His Excellency Akana Promphan, Minister of Energy of Thailand; as well as ambassadors of the EU and European countries to Thailand, European business leaders, representatives of well-known Thai and European companies, investors, and heads of government agencies, among other key stakeholders.
In his speech, Deputy Prime Minister Sihasak systematically elaborated on the core direction of Thailand's foreign policy, emphasizing adherence to the four principles of "strategic guidance, efficient execution, collaborative linkage, and open communication," practicing a proactive economic diplomacy approach, and always prioritizing the interests of the Thai people. He emphasized that Thailand is making every effort to strengthen investor confidence and enhance its core national competitiveness, and deepening the integration of the Thai-European supply chain is a key path to mutual benefit. The Deputy Prime Minister reiterated Thailand's willingness to expand cooperation with European partners in key areas such as digital trade, green technology, renewable energy, and scientific research, especially within the framework of the EU's "Global Gateway" initiative (an initiative with an investment scale of €300 billion, focusing on green and digital infrastructure in Southeast Asia), to promote practical cooperation in greater depth.
Regarding the bridging role of the Thai-Europe Trade Promotion Agency (TEBA), Deputy Prime Minister Sikhazaka stressed that the platform provides an important communication link between European companies and Thai stakeholders, and its synergistic effects should be further enhanced. He called for accelerating the negotiation process of the Thai-European bilateral free trade agreement and the ASEAN-EU regional free trade agreement, pointing out that such agreements are core supports for promoting economic transformation and enhancing supply chain resilience—ASEAN is currently the EU's third-largest trading partner, with bilateral trade exceeding €215.9 billion, and the implementation of free trade agreements will unleash even greater cooperation potential. The Deputy Prime Minister concluded by advocating that Thailand and Europe should continue to deepen cooperation between their businesses and jointly cultivate a sustainable, high-quality, long-term economic partnership to inject lasting momentum into regional economic prosperity.
