On 9 December, 2021, H.E. Mr. Christophe Penot, French Ambassador for the Indo-Pacific, paid a courtesy call on H.E. Mr. Thani Thongphakdi, Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs to present France’s Indo-Pacific Strategy which was the first Indo-Pacific strategy launched amongst
the EU countries, as well as discussed the EU Strategy for Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific and France’s role in the European Union as it takes over the Presidency of the Council during the first half of 2022.

Both sides expressed appreciation to the forthcoming adoption of the Roadmap for Thai-French Relations (2021-2023), corresponding to priority areas of cooperation under the ASEAN outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) and France’s Indo-Pacific Strategy with a view to elevating Thai-French relations to strategic partnership in the near future.

Ambassador Penot presented France’s priorities under its upcoming Presidency of the Council of the EU, and ways of cooperation to strengthen relations between France, the EU with the Indo-Pacific region in areas such as security, connectivity and digital issues, public health, environment, and socio-economic recovery as well as expediting the conclusion of the Comprehensive Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) between Thailand and the EU and the resumption of the negotiation of the Thailand-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

Both sides further discussed the latest developments in the region and hoped that they would be beneficial to the region.

H.E. Mr. Christophe Penot was appointed the first French Ambassador for the Indo-Pacific in October 2020. During his visit to Thailand on 8-10 December 2021, he paid a courtesy call on Lt. Gen. Paisan Ngamwongwan, Director of National Defence College of Thailand, Mr. Sarawut Phetpanom, Chairman of the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and Mrs. Armida Salsia Alisjahbana, Executive Secretary to UNESCAP as well as giving press interview. Before his visit to Thailand, he travelled to Singapore, on part of his tour in the Southeast Asian region.