Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton, the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Affairs of the UK, received a cordial reception from Thailand’s Minister of Foreign Affairs as he arrived in town to finalize the agreement. This marked the first official visit to the Kingdom by the UK envoy.
As per statements from the Foreign Ministry, discussions between the two parties revolved around enhancing trade and economic cooperation, particularly focusing on advancing the Thailand-UK Free Trade Agreement initiative. This initiative aims to expand upon the achievements made under the Enhanced Trade Partnership. Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin was also actively engaged in these deliberations.
“The elevation to strategic partnership marks a significant milestone in the two countries’ relations, as they will celebrate the 170th anniversary of their diplomatic ties next year. The UK is the first country in Europe with which Thailand has a strategic partnership”, the ministry said.
Additional topics addressed during the meeting included collaborative efforts in security, science and technology, tourism, and education. Of particular importance was the discussion regarding visa exemptions for holders of Thai ordinary passports, an area of focus for the Srettha administration which aims to boost tourism by eliminating the compulsory visa requirement.
Previously, Srettha announced that he had received positive feedback regarding the potential waiver of the Schengen visa for Thai citizens following negotiations conducted during his recent trip to Europe with the European Union. This decision comes in the wake of the visa-free agreement between Thailand and China, which became effective on March 1, enabling citizens of both countries to travel freely between them. Additionally, representatives from both nations exchanged perspectives on regional developments, including the situations in Myanmar and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The Thai delegation conveyed gratitude for the United Kingdom's endorsement of Thailand's application for membership in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). On February 8, the Thai Prime Minister signed a letter of intent to pursue OECD membership and established a committee to advocate for admission. This initiative aims to attain global recognition for Thailand's economic standards, with the objective of bolstering trade and investment within the country.