On 15 November 2021, Mr. Thani Thongpakdi, Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Thailand, and Mr. Chee Wee Kiong, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Singapore, co-chaired the 2nd Political Consultations between Thailand and Singapore via video conference.

The Permanent Secretaries reaffirmed the close partnership between the two countries, noting that despite challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, cooperation has continued to progress. They discussed ways to further strengthen cooperation in key existing areas as well as in new areas, including public health, reopening of borders, smart cities, sustainable development, green economy, security, and the exchange programme between their Civil Services. The two sides discussed opportunities to develop synergies between Thailand’s Bio-Circular-Green Economy Model and Singapore’s Green Plan 2030. On digital economy cooperation, the Thai side expressed interest in Singapore’s initiative to explore and identify specific areas for collaboration with Thailand. Both sides also agreed on the importance of speedy resumption of travel to facilitate the movement of people and business interactions. They expressed appreciation for the mutual contribution of medical supplies and COVID-19 vaccines rendered to each other amidst the pandemic.

The Permanent Secretaries exchanged views on regional and international developments. Both sides reaffirmed their determination to work together towards the advancement of the region in response to emerging challenges and to bolster ASEAN centrality and unity. They also stressed the importance of enhancing cooperation, particularly on sustainable development through various frameworks, such as Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) which Thailand will host in 2022.