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Thailand Is Seeking Free-Trade Agreements With All EU Nations

The Thai government is planning to sign free-trade agreements with all members of the European Union within this year, according to Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra.

She shared these comments after returning to Thailand on Saturday, following her participation in the 2025 World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland.

On January 23, Ms. Paetongtarn participated in the signing ceremony of the free-trade agreement (FTA) with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) alongside the WEF.

Representatives from Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein signed the FTA on behalf of the EFTA states.

This agreement marks the first FTA concluded under the current administration. It aims to boost economic ties and foster collaboration in areas such as advanced technology and innovation, human capital development, small and medium enterprise promotion, and sustainable development.

Ms. Paetongtarn noted that the government aims to secure FTAs with the rest of the EU member countries by the end of this year, helping Thai businesses penetrate the European market.

“Signing the FTA with the EFTA member countries is a success for Thailand. All cabinet ministers in the delegation were proud to sign the agreement,” stated the prime minister.

She also took this opportunity to meet with foreign investors to discuss potential investments in emerging sectors, such as semiconductors, data centers, and renewable energy.

She encouraged these firms to participate in training Thai workers to meet the demands of advanced technologies if they establish operations in Thailand.

Ms. Paetongtarn also highlighted Google’s ongoing project to construct a new cloud data center in Chon Buri, which is part of its expansion strategy in Thailand.

She mentioned that Google would also contribute to enhancing the skills of Thai workers.

Regarding the 1-trillion-baht Land Bridge megaproject, Ms. Paetongtarn indicated that DP World, the Dubai-based logistics giant, is likely to invest heavily in the project.

A government spokesperson, Jirayu Houngsub, reported that Ms. Paetongtarn met with top executives from leading global companies at the 55th WEF in Switzerland.

A key moment was her discussion with Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, the CEO of DP World.

DP World expressed a strong interest in enhancing Thailand’s logistics capabilities, including expanding its Inland Container Depot and exploring potential investments in the Land Bridge project that would link ASEAN with global trade networks, Mr. Jirayu added.

Ms. Paetongtarn concluded that the WEF provided Thailand with a valuable platform to showcase its potential and opportunities to the global community. She reassured foreign investors of Thailand’s readiness.