On 7 November 2024, H.E. Mr. Maris Sangiampongsa, Minister of Foreign Affairs, accompanied H.E. Ms. Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Prime Minister, to attend the 8th Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Summit in Kunming, PRC.

China hosted and chaired the Summit under the theme “Towards a Better Community Through Innovation-driven Development”, which is the first physical GMS Summit since 2018. The Summit endorsed the outcome documents as follows: (1) Joint Summit Declaration of the 8th GMS Summit and (2) the GMS Innovation Strategy for Development 2030.

The Prime Minister mentioned Thailand’s ambition to development while complementing the GMS’ 3 pillars of cooperation: (1) Connectivity, in which Thailand will play a leading role in enhancing connectivity within and beyond the region through infrastructure development and implementation of international cargo and passenger transport agreement; (2) Competitiveness, in which she shared Thailand’s success in advancing toward digital economy and cashless society through PromptPay and Cross-border QR Code Payment; (3) Community, in which she reiterated Thailand’s will to enhance inclusive development through promotion of equal and quality education, gender equality and public health development.

In addition, the Prime Minister emphasised the significance of technological development gap problem that affects vulnerable and less-opportune groups of people by encouraging cooperation between all sectors, proposing subregional development directions through “inclusive and environmentally-friendly innovation” policy, and raising Thailand’s case studies for knowledge sharing. Such case studies include: (1) incorporation of innovation promotion into the government’s policies and the country’s development plan; (2) Thailand’s financial innovation through seamless technological development with neighbouring countries; and (3) continuous support for research and development.