Kuala Lumpur: Prime Minister Paethongtarn Shinawatra engaged in bilateral talks with President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. of the Philippines at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center. The discussions focused on strengthening cooperation in key areas such as trade, investment, food security, energy, tourism, and the suppression of transnational crimes. Thailand also expressed its readiness to support the Philippines' ASEAN Chairmanship in 2026.
According to Thai News Agency, the meeting underscored the close alliance between Thailand and the Philippines. Both leaders emphasized increasing the trade volume between their countries, with the Philippines currently being Thailand's fifth-largest trading partner in ASEAN. The bilateral trade value exceeded 11 billion US dollars in 2024. The Prime Minister noted significant interest from Thai private sectors in investing in the Philippines, highlighting Shera's new factory setup in the country.
The Philippine President praised the cooperation between the two nations, particularly the role of the private sector in driving trade. The discussions included Thailand's intent to export more agricultural products to the Philippines and the potential for Government-to-Government rice trade and the implementation of an MOU to expand agricultural and consumer goods export markets.
In terms of energy security, Thailand expressed interest in expanding cooperation in clean and renewable energy sectors. The discussions also touched on modern technologies such as AI and education, with the Philippines offering support in promoting English language teaching in Thailand.
The tourism sector was identified as an area of potential cooperation, with discussions on joint marketing and learning from Thailand's tourism expertise. The two leaders also addressed the issue of online fraud, acknowledging the involvement of Thai and Filipino nationals in such activities and expressing a commitment to addressing these challenges.
Finally, the leaders discussed the global trade situation, emphasizing the importance of strengthening ASEAN cooperation in response to unilateral import tariffs imposed by the United States.