Thailand pushes to seal three key FTAs in 2026 to open markets and lift trade

Deputy government spokeswoman Rachada Dhnadirek said the government was pressing ahead with its economic plan to help households and businesses cope with global volatility, while also strengthening Thailand’s medium- and long-term competitiveness. Alongside cost-of-living support, the government is leaning on the Commerce Ministry to drive five key measures aimed at boosting incomes, supporting businesses and expanding trade opportunities.

The five main policy pillars are: easing living costs while raising incomes and strengthening communities; stabilising and adding value to agricultural products; reinforcing SMEs and local businesses; upgrading technology and easing regulations; and rebalancing exports by diversifying risk and linking Thailand’s supply chains more closely with global markets.

On international trade, the government is accelerating negotiations on three major free trade agreements — Thailand-EU, Thailand-South Korea and ASEAN-Canada — with the aim of wrapping them up within 2026. The strategy is designed to open new markets, attract fresh investment and reduce dependence on a narrower group of trading partners.

At the same time, Thailand is preparing for the next phase of previously signed deals. The Thailand-EFTA FTA has already been signed and is being positioned as a gateway to high-income markets, while the Thailand-Sri Lanka FTA is expected to strengthen links with South Asia and broaden Thailand’s regional trade base. Government statements in late 2025 said the newly signed FTAs with Sri Lanka, EFTA and Bhutan were expected to come into effect in 2026.

The government said the importance of FTAs was already clear in the numbers. In 2025, Thailand’s trade with its 18 FTA partner countries accounted for about 59.2% of the country’s total trade, underlining how central these agreements have become to creating new opportunities and lifting the economy’s long-term potential.

Rachada said the five policy tracks were designed to work together — from easing pressure on households and raising production capacity to strengthening entrepreneurs and expanding overseas markets through FTAs — with the broader goal of building a stronger Thai economy and improving the country’s long-term competitiveness.