PARIS, France – Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and French President Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed their commitment to elevating Thailand–France relations toward a strategic partnership during discussions held at the Élysée Palace on May 25, 2026. The talks focused on expanding economic cooperation, strengthening security collaboration, and advancing negotiations on the Thailand–European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA).
President Macron hosted a dinner for Prime Minister Anutin, during which the two leaders explored ways to boost bilateral trade and investment, especially in high-value sectors such as alternative energy, aerospace, aviation, smart power grids, artificial intelligence infrastructure, and data centers. These discussions followed meetings between the Thai delegation, MEDEF International, and leading French companies, several of which expressed interest in investing or expanding in Thailand. France also welcomed greater investment from Thai businesses in its market.
The two sides reviewed progress on the Thailand–EU FTA. Prime Minister Anutin reaffirmed Thailand’s commitment to concluding negotiations by 2026 and thanked France for its ongoing support. Both parties expressed confidence that the agreement would generate significant economic opportunities and strengthen long-term ties. Thailand and France agreed to expand cooperation in cybersecurity and broader security issues. Building on existing collaboration, including the Cobra Gold exercises, both countries stressed the importance of international efforts to combat cybercrime, online scams, and transnational criminal networks.
The leaders discussed regional developments, including Cambodia and Myanmar. Prime Minister Anutin reaffirmed Thailand’s commitment to sovereignty, peace, and international law. He explained that the cancellation of the 2001 Memorandum of Understanding with Cambodia on overlapping maritime claims was due to nearly 25 years of limited progress. Thailand will now use the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as the basis for future discussions. On land border issues, Thailand remains committed to the joint statement signed in late 2025 and calls for Cambodia to demonstrate its sincerity. The meeting also advanced preparations for the Joint Action Plan to Strengthen the Thai-French Partnership 2026–2028, which both countries consider a key step toward establishing a strategic partnership and deepening cooperation across multiple sectors.
