Maryland: 'Team Thailand+' joins forces with the US to boost trade and investment towards a new economy. Team Thailand+ launched its mission at the SelectUSA Investment Summit 2026 in the United States, coordinating public-private partnerships to accelerate trade, investment, and supply chain opportunities. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was also signed for the import of agricultural products to strengthen long-term economic stability.
According to Thai News Agency, the 'Team Thailand+' delegation, comprised of high-level representatives from the Thai government and private sector, was led by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce, Ms. Supajee Suthamphan. The delegation also included Mr. Panpree Bahithanukorn, Chairman of the Advisory Committee to the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Dr. Poj Aramwattananon, Chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce and the Board of Trade of Thailand. They officially commenced their mission at the SelectUSA Investment Summit 2026 in Maryland, USA.
This participation is a collaboration within "Team Thailand+" between the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Thai Chamber of Commerce to enhance trade and investment cooperation between Thailand and the United States. It aims to connect Thai businesses to the new global economy.
The SelectUSA Investment Summit 2026, held from May 3-6, 2026, was hosted by the U.S. Department of Commerce, welcoming business leaders and investors from over 100 countries. This year, an estimated 2,700 investors and over 1,100 state investment promotion agencies (EDOs) from all 50 U.S. states and territories participated.
The opening ceremony on the morning of May 4, 2026, was attended by Mr. Howard Lutnick, the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, who officially opened the event. This year's summit focused on "Future Ready: Reshaping Global Business and Manufacturing Renaissance," emphasizing the revitalization of the manufacturing industry coupled with the development of future technologies such as semiconductors, clean energy, biotechnology, and new-generation supply chains, in order to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) into the United States.
On the first day of the mission, the Thai delegation attended the opening ceremony and a meet and greet with representatives from the U.S. Department of Commerce to exchange views on economic policy, trade, and future investment trends. Private sector representatives shared updates on their future investment plans.
In the afternoon, the delegation split into groups for specific tasks. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce held discussions with the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to promote cooperation in trade, investment, and trade facilitation. They also exchanged policy information on key issues and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the import of agricultural products from the United States between the Thai Feed Manufacturers Association and its U.S. private sector partners, marking a concrete step in strengthening raw material security and supply chains.
Mr. Panpree Pahithanukorn led a delegation to hold discussions with the US-ASEAN Business Council to build networks and explore business cooperation opportunities, particularly in expanding production bases and investment in the United States.
At the end of the day, the Thai delegation reunited and met with Senator Tammy Duckworth to exchange views on economic cooperation, including opportunities for the State of Illinois, before concluding the first day's activities of "Team Thailand+".
Dr. Poj Aramwattananon revealed after completing his first day's mission that participating in this year's SelectUSA was a positive sign, as there was a significant increase in Thai private sector participation compared to previous years. This reflects the potential and readiness of Thai businesses to expand their investments abroad, and he also expressed his desire to look for opportunities to invite more US businesses to invest in Thailand. 'The Thai private sector is committed to contributing to resolving trade imbalances and increasing its role in overseas investment to support the trade negotiating team in operating effectively in the future,' Dr. Poj said.