Summary of Weekly Press Briefing
Friday, 1 March 2024 at 11.00 hours
Press Conference Room, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and MFA FB Live  

1.Summary of the recent missions of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs

DPM/FM’s Germany visit to attend the 123rd OAV Stiftungfest

• During 21-25 February 2024, the DPM/FM visited Germany to attend the 123rd annual meeting of the German Asia-Pacific Business Association, or “OAV (Ostasiatischer Verein) Stiftungfest” upon the invitation of OAV Bremen.
• During the event, DPM/FM gave a keynote speech highlighting Thailand’s commitment to promoting 3 main areas of bilateral cooperation, namely 1) cooperation to tackle climate change, 2) economic cooperation with the goal to conclude the Thai-EU FTA by 2025, and 3) human resource development.
• Other side events included a site visit to the Mercedes-Benz plant in Bremen, where the DPM/FM reiterated Thailand’s commitment to promote EV and support for Mercedes-Benz's investment in Thailand, and opening remarks delivered at a seminar on “Thailand and Germany: Perspectives and Opportunities in the Indo-Pacific,” which was co-organized by the Royal Thai Embassy in Berlin and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS).

DPM/FM’s India visit to co-chair the 10th Meeting of India-Thailand JC

• On 26-28 February 2024, the DPM/FM co-chaired the 10th Meeting of the India-Thailand Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation (JC) with H.E. Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs of India.
• The meeting discussed plans to upgrade Thailand-India relations towards a Strategic Partnership within this year, exchange official visits between the two Prime Ministers, and increase bilateral trade from 17.7 billion USD to 35 billion USD by 2027. Both sides also discussed cooperation in multilateral frameworks and exchanged views on regional issues. After the meeting, the ministers adopted Agreed Minutes as the outcome and co-witnessed the signing of an MOU between the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine and the National Institute of Ayurveda, Jaipur.
• Other side events included a site visit to the Solar Plant in Bikaner, Rajasthan, which is a joint investment between Avaada Group and Thailand’s Global Power Synergy Plc. (GPSC), a courtesy call on the Vice President of India, to review progress in Thailand-India ties and promote more cooperation, and a policy guidance session with Team Thailand in India regarding consular services, proactive economic diplomacy, and Thailand’s role on the international stage.

DFM leading a Thai business delegation to Kazakhstan

• On 21-25 February 2024, the DFM led 13 Thai business representatives from various sectors to Kazakhstan on a first ministerial visit from the Thai side since 2017.
• Bilateral meetings included (1) a courtesy call with the DPM/FM of Kazakhstan, in which the DFM presented a letter from the DPM/FM of Thailand inviting the Kazakhstan side to pay an official visit to Thailand as guest of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs during the ESCAP meetings in April 2024; (2) a plenary meeting with the DFM of Kazakhstan to discuss trade and investment opportunities, before co-witnessing the signing of an MoU between the Board of Trade of Thailand and the QazTrade of Kazakstan; and (3) leading a Thai business delegation to call on the Minister of Agriculture of Kazakhstan, while the Advisor to the DFM led another business delegation to call on the Deputy Minister of Tourism and Sports of Kazakhstan.
• During the visit, both sides discussed and followed up on various bilateral and multilateral issues, including the progress of MoUs and agreements, negotiations on trade, investment, and visa exemption; the Thailand-Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) FTA; as well as cooperation under the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in the Asia (CICA) framework.
• Engagements to promote economic cooperation included (1) hosting a networking dinner for the Thai business delegation and their Kazakh counterparts; (2) co-hosting the “Amazing Thailand: A Glimpse of the Land of Smiles” reception with Minister of Tourism and Sports of Thailand to promote Thai tourism in Kazakhstan; and (3) leading a Thai delegation to discuss with various Kazakh business sectors. The visit gave an opportunity for the Thai business delegation to connect and interact with the Kazakh side, that has trade and investment potential in various sectors and is considered a door to Central Asia.

2. The 2nd Thailand-U.S. Strategic and Defense Dialogue and related meetings

• During 28-29 February 2024, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Defense co-hosted the 9th Thailand-U.S. Strategic Dialogue between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the U.S. Department of State, the 8th Defense Strategic Talks between the Ministry of Defence and the U.S. Department of Defense, and the 2nd Thailand-U.S. Strategic and Defense Dialogue and related meetings in Bangkok, which was co-chaired by the Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs and the Permanent Secretary for Defence, together with the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs and the U.S. Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs.
• The meetings provided the opportunities for both sides to move forward multi-dimensional cooperation as stated in the Thailand-U.S. Communiqué on Strategic Alliance and Partnership, as well as to exchange views on the global and regional security landscape and important developments.

3. The PM’s Official Visit to Germany and France

France

• On 7 - 12 March 2024, the PM, together with DFM, will pay an official visit to France, which marks the first official bilateral visit of the PM to Europe.
• During the visit, the PM will discuss with H.E. Mr. Emmanuel Macron, President of France, to promote Thailand’s Vision as a regional hub in 8 key industries, including aviation, tourism, logistics, future mobility and EVs. The PM will also strengthen Thailand-France cooperation in the areas of clean energy, aerospace innovation, fashion, and soft power.
• The PM will also have one-on-one discussions with high-level officials from the public and private sectors of France, as well as attend the MIPIM 2024 in Cannes.
• Thailand and France have enjoyed long and cordial relations. The year 2025 will mark the 340th Anniversary of the Siamese Envoy to France. This year, both sides plan to elevate their relations to a Strategic Partnership in accordance with the Roadmap on Thailand-France Relations (2022-2024).

Germany

• On 12-13 March 2024, PM will pay an official visit to Germany to build on the President of Germany’s official visit to Thailand on 24-26 January 2024.
• During the visit, the PM will discuss with the German Chancellor to strengthen Thailand-Germany relations, which has continued for over 160 years, give a keynote speech at the German Association for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses (BVMW) to share his vision on economic policy, and will also meet with the private sector to promote investments in Thailand.
• Germany is one of Thailand’s 10 strategic countries, and is the largest trading partner of Thailand in the EU amounting to a trade value of about $10.6 billion.

4. Upcoming missions by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs

DPM/FM to attend the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit

• On 4-6 March 2024, the DPM/FM will accompany the PM to attend the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit and other related events, which will commemorate the 50th anniversary of the ASEAN-Australia partnership. In this regard, the PM will exchange views on connectivity, green development, food security, health, climate change and the balance of power in the region with the aim of promoting investment in Thailand and the region.
• On a separate occasion, the DPM/FM will have a bilateral meeting with the Australian FM, have meetings with the Australian private sector, accompany the PM to attend bilateral meetings with the Australian PM and the New Zealand PM, as well as visit 8 Thai Elephants at the Melbourne Zoo, a number which increased from the previous 3 elephants which Thailand originally presented to Australia in 2006.

DFM’s visit to the United Arab Emirates as part of the delegation of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce of Thailand

• On 29 February - 2 March, the DFM paid a visit to the UAE as a part of the official delegation of the DPM/Minister of Commerce to participate in the World Trade Organization Ministerial Conference 13 and related meetings. This visit will present an opportunity to promote Thailand’s interests and support to the Multilateral Trading System through the WTO.

5. The candidature of Thailand for the Nakhon Ratchasima International Horticultural Expo 2029 (Korat 2029)

• The International Association of Horticultural Produce (AIPHA) will hold a General Meeting 2024 from 3-7 March 2024 in Doha, Qatar, to approve the hosting country for the next Horticultural International Expo in 2029.
• Thailand will propose to host an event during 10 November 2029 - 28 February 2030, for 3 months and 18 days, which has a target of receiving 2.6-4 million visitors. The event is expected to create around 36,000 jobs and more than 18,900 million baht for the economy.
• In this event, Thailand will emphasize (1) the coexistence between man and nature focusing on sustainable living, green cities, and environmental sustainability, and (2) the potential of Nakhon Ratchasima province as Thailand’s agricultural hub, a MICE City, and one of the UNESCO’s Triple Crowns consisting of three types of world heritage sites.

6. The Study Visit for the Heads of Diplomatic Missions and Consular Representatives to Chiang Rai Province

• On 19-21 February 2024, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs led more than 60 Heads of Diplomatic Missions and Consular Representatives and spouses from 40 countries on a study visit to Chiang Rai. The visit aims to commemorate the auspicious occasion of the 6th cycle birthday of His Majesty the King and showcase the success of the royal projects.
• The group visited royal projects and other important projects, including the Doi Tung Development Project, “Thailand Biennale, Chiang Rai 2023 Exhibition: The Open World” at Mae Fah Luang Art and Cultural Park.
• The Department of Protocol, MFA, has organised study visits to royal projects for the Heads of Diplomatic Missions and Consular Representatives since 2002.

Other matters:

1. Suggestions for Thai tourists to visit China

• As the Agreement on Mutual Visa Expemtions between Thailand and China will enter into force today, the Royal Thai Embassy in Beijing, expecting a rising number of Thai tourists, issued guidelines for Thai tourists travelling to China with advice to strictly follow the local rules and regulations while travelling in China, in order to prevent potential complications during the visit.
• Visitors are also advised to be well-prepared by downloading applications that will help facilitate payment, transportation, translation and place of stay registration.

2. Suggestion for Thai tourists to visit Taiwan

• The Thailand Trade and Economic Office in Taipei recommends Thai tourists to buy travel insurance before visiting Taiwan, due to the potential of high fees for health care services, and plan trips with caution due to the immigration office of Taiwan’s new immigration laws to increase an overstay fine from NT$10,000 to NT$50,000 from 1 March 2024.

3. Management of the high demand of visa applications by Myanmar nationals

• Situation of the number of people applying for visa has improved, and there is no longer a large number of applicants waiting for the queue.

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