BANGKOK — Thailand and Singapore leaders pledged stronger ties and focused on green investment and food security during their bilateral meeting in Bangkok on Thursday.
Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra welcomed his Singaporean counterpart Lawrence Wong in Bangkok on November 28, marking Singapore’s leader’s first official visit to Thailand since Paetongtarn took office.
The meeting, held at Government House, culminated in the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Thailand’s Office of the Civil Service Commission and Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
During their joint press conference, both leaders emphasized the significance of their bilateral relationship as they approach the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2025. Prime Minister Paetongtarn highlighted that although this was their first official meeting in Thailand, they had previously met at the ASEAN Summit in Laos in October and at the APEC Summit in Lima, Peru.
The discussions covered a broad range of cooperative initiatives, with particular emphasis on green technology, food security, and educational exchanges. Thailand expressed its commitment to supporting Singapore’s food security through the export of premium rice and organic eggs, while both nations agreed to enhance collaboration in green technology and renewable energy investments to achieve their carbon neutrality goals.
“We look forward to increased investment between our nations,” stated PM Paetongtarn, noting that the partnership would extend beyond traditional areas to include digital economy, sustainability, and human resource development. The Thai leader particularly appreciated Singapore’s provision of educational scholarships for Thai civil servants.
PM Wong, in his remarks, expressed enthusiasm about expanding cooperation in new areas, including the digital connectivity within ASEAN and energy security. “Singapore and Thailand have long been friends, and I am delighted that we have agreed to expand our cooperation into new frontiers,” he said.
Both leaders also addressed regional concerns, particularly regarding Myanmar, expressing hope for peace and stability in the region. They agreed that the informal ASEAN discussions in Bangkok would provide an important opportunity to address this issue.
The meeting concluded with both prime ministers looking forward to reciprocal state visits in the coming year, including an anticipated visit by Singapore’s President to Thailand and PM Paetongtarn’s planned official visit to Singapore.
This exchange of high-level visits is expected to further strengthen the bilateral relationship as both nations prepare to celebrate their diplomatic milestone in 2025.
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