On 15 December 2022, H.E. Mr. Nantiwat Samart, Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, on behalf of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, attended the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony between the Rail Technology Research and Development Agency (Public Organisation), Ministry of Transport and leading French Rail Business Group including (1) Egis Rail (Thailand) Company Limited (2) Alstom (Thailand) Limited (3) VOSSLOH COGIFER S.A. (4) Systra MVA (Thailand) Company Limited and (5) POMA SAS, at the Renaissance Hotel. The ceremony was co-chaired and witnessed by H.E. Mr. Saksayam Chidchob, Minister of Transport and H.E. Mr. Thierry Mathou, French Ambassador to Thailand. Also attended, Ms. Somrudee Poopornanake, Acting Director-General, Department of the European Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The MoU was aimed to develop personnel in the rail sector, rail technology transfer and encourage the production of railway system parts and products in Thailand according to Thai First policy. Transport cooperation especially in rail sector is significant Thai - French cooperation, as France has great potential in transport and rail sector. In addition, this is a cooperation under Roadmap for Thai - French Relations (2022 - 2024) which co-signed by both countries’ Foreign Ministers in Paris on 22 February 2022 with the objective to establishing a strategic partnership between Thailand and France by 2024.