On 16 - 21 May 2024, H.E. Mr. Srettha Thavisin, Prime Minister, accompanied by H.E Mr. Maris Sangiampongsa, Minister of Foreign Affairs, paid an official visit to Italy to hold a bilateral meeting with H.E. Ms. Giorgia Meloni, President of the Council of Ministers of Italy, who also hosted a working lunch for the Thai delegation.

Both sides aimed to promote cooperation in various sectors such as fashion, food and agricultural technology, defence, energy, space, tourism especially the increase of direct flights, and landbridge. The Prime Minister requested Italy’s support for expediting the Thailand-EU FTA, Schengen visa-free for Thai ordinary passport holders, and expressed appreciation for Italy’s support of Thailand’s OECD membership application. He also invited his Italian counterpart to visit Thailand in February 2025. They agreed to draw up an Action Plan in sectors of high potential and to hold the Thai-Italian Business Forum in Thailand with participation of a delegation of business sectors from Italy.

In addition, the Prime Minister also met with Mr. Attilio Fontana, President of the Lombardia Region, to discuss trade and investment opportunity of Italian companies in Thailand, in particular in areas of smart farming, electronics, EV and clean energy, as well as exchange of visits between Thai and Lombardia authorities.

During the trip, the Prime Minister held discussions with more than 15 organizations and leading Italian private companies in various industries, including fashion, food industry and agricultural technology, automotive, aviation and space technology, clean energy, finance, as well as Formula One racing. He presented indigo-dyed fabrics from Don Koi Project, Sakon Nakhon province, which is the royal project under HRH Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya for Italian fashion companies to consider using the Thai indigo dyeing process as a part of its fabric production, and he also promoted other areas of cooperation, including educational with universities in Milan.

The Prime Minister also visited the ADI Design Museum (Associazione Per II Disegno: ADI), cheese factory, BONI S.p.A., and meat processing plant, Italia Alimentari, to exchange views on special technology and increase opportunities and cooperation in processed food innovation. He also visited La Rinascente in Milan, which is a success story now owned by a Thai retailer.

In this occasion, the Prime Minister delegated the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport to open the Thai-Italian Business Forum and deliver a speech on his behalf. Furthermore, a presentation on Landbridge was held while the Secretary-General of the BOI presented opportunities to invest in Thailand. Both sides signed the MoU between the Thai Chamber of Commerce and Unioncamere (Italian Chamber of Commerce), as well as the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for cooperation in the Empowering Innovation and Development of Rail Technology between the Rail Technology Research and Development Agency (Public Organisation) and the MERMEC Group.