On 20 March 2026, H.E. Mr. Sihasak Phuangketkeow, Minister of Foreign Affairs, co-chaired a meeting with H.E. Ms. Suphajee Suthumpun, Minister of Commerce, on the integration of foreign and trade policy at the Ministry of Commerce. Also in attendance were senior executives from both ministries.

Both sides exchanged views on approaches to integrating foreign affairs and trade, with key priorities as follow: (1) managing geopolitics and geoeconomics amidst challenges to the rules-based international order, particularly the situation in the Middle East, including shaping Thailand’s positions toward major powers, addressing trade imbalances, and ensuring access to strategic imports such as oil and chemical fertilizers; (2) advancing proactive strategies to expand into new and emerging markets, with a focus on diversifying trade risks, while leveraging ‘Science Diplomacy’ to enhance Thailand’s competitiveness and ensure close coordination of high-level visits between the two sides; (3) strengthening economic partnerships through expediting negotiations of free trade agreements (FTAs) and advancing Thailand’s accession to the OECD; and, (4) integrating inter-agency mechanisms to strengthen Team Thailand, including efforts to address the impacts of emerging trade measures, such as the European Union’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR).

The discussion was aimed to strengthen policy-level integration between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Commerce, with a view to ensuring that foreign and trade policies are aligned and pursued in a coherent direction.