His Excellency Mr. Jean-Marc Ayrault, Prime Minister of the French Republic, accompanied by his spouse Madam Brigitte Ayrault, will pay an Official Visit to the Kingdom of Thailand on 4-5 February 2013 as Guest of Her Excellency Ms. Yingluck Shinawatra, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand.  The French Prime Minister is bringing on this visit a high-level delegation comprising a number of cabinet ministers and leading businessmen. During the visit, the French Prime Minister will have a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on 5 February 2013 and deliver a speech about relations between Thailand and the French Republic at Thammasat University.  He will also preside over the inauguration of the Franco-Thai Business Forum and meet the French community in Thailand.

The scheduled visit will be the first official visit to Thailand by a high level representative from France in seven years, the last visit being that of His Excellency Mr. Jacques Chirac, former President of the French Republic, as Royal Guest of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej in 2006. The upcoming visit of the French Prime Minister follows that of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to the French Republic only six months earlier, in July 2012. This exchange of high-level visits underscore the commitment of both countries to cementing further the Strategic Partnership between the two countries initiated in 2004.  It is also an opportunity to add another chapter in the long history of Thai-French relations which began with the reciprocal dispatch of embassies in the 17th century.

The visit of the French Prime Minister would help facilitate the follow up on the outcomes of the previous visit of the Thai Prime Minister, particularly with regard to enhancing the economic partnership between the two countries in order to promote mutual growth and employment. To this end, discussions are expected to focus on exploring trade, investment and cooperation opportunities in all areas of mutual interest, from infrastructure to education and research and to alternative energy. The French Republic currently ranks 8th in direct investment from European countries in Thailand, and has so far shown much interest in Thailand, whereas the Thai private sector has also begun to invest in the French Republic in such industries as seafood by Thai Union Frozen Products PCL and PTT Global Chemical Public Company Limited in the plastics industry. The trade volume from January – November 2012 between Thailand and the French Republic is 4,014 million US dollars.

As key members of the European Union and ASEAN respectively and active members of the United Nations, the French Republic and Thailand are expected to engage in a dialogue on regional and global issues of common interest and concern. In particular, the two sides are expected to exchange views on developments related to the continued prosperity and stability of Southeast Asia, based on a competitive ASEAN Community and a more connected Mekong region, and the wider Asia-Pacific region as well as on developments in Europe and the European Union. On the global front, possible cooperation on shared global challenges, such as closing development gaps and strengthening multilateral institutions, including the United Nations, are also issues expected to be explored together.