Thailand and Australia Pledge Deeper Ties on Green Tech and Trade
Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun and ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr meet to boost investment, promote sustainable development and support startup ecosystems
- Thailand and Australia held high-level talks to strengthen bilateral trade and investment, building on their existing status as major trading partners.
- A central focus of the partnership is cooperation on green technology, aligning Australia's goal to be a leader in the sector with Thailand's focus on sustainable agricultural tech and climate solutions.
- The deeper ties also involve collaboration in other areas, such as Australia learning from Thailand's tourism industry and Thailand expanding its "Thai SELECT" restaurant quality program in Australia.
Thailand’s Commerce Minister, Suphajee Suthumpun, held high-level talks with Andrew Barr, the Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), this Saturday, aiming to significantly strengthen bilateral trade and investment.
Minister Suphajee, accompanied by executives from the Ministry of Commerce, welcomed the Australian delegation to Bangkok to discuss ways of capitalising on the economic potential of both nations and enhancing connectivity between the Thai and Australian private sectors.
The Minister revealed that both sides exchanged views on trade cooperation and investment strategies, finding strong alignment on key priorities, particularly in education, health, tourism, culture, and the advancement of sustainable development.
A central point of the discussion was the push towards green technology and innovation.
The ACT has a national goal of becoming a leader in this sector, which complements Thailand’s focus on developing agricultural technology and precision farming, including leveraging technology to address climate change challenges.
Minister Suphajee also noted Australia’s commitment to its Southeast Asia Investment Strategy, looking ahead to 2040.
Concurrently, Australia aims to attract foreign investment for large-scale integrated residential projects and is supporting its own innovation and start-up ecosystem through networks and incubators in Canberra.
The regularity of business delegation exchanges between the two countries was highlighted as a reflection of the robust private-sector relationship.
Minister Suphajee identified an opportunity to expand the Thai SELECT programme in Australia, capitalising on the popularity of Thai cuisine and ensuring quality assurance for Thai restaurants.
The Australian delegation praised Thailand’s success as a world-renowned tourist destination and expressed keen interest in learning from Thailand's extensive experience in managing the hospitality industry.
Furthermore, Australia welcomed the Royal Thai Embassy’s initiative in Canberra to regularly host Thai Festivals, which foster friendship and understanding between the two populations.
Minister Suphajee concluded that the talks underlined the solid relationship between Thailand and Australia, which is centred on “sustainable economic growth.”
She expressed confidence that the meeting would create new opportunities for cooperation across government, business, and community sectors in the future.
Trade data from January to August 2025 shows Australia as Thailand's 11th largest trading partner (and Thailand as Australia's 9th largest). Total trade was valued at $11.14 billion. Thailand enjoyed a significant trade surplus of $4.03 billion.
Key Thai exports included automobiles and components, air conditioners, and rubber products. Major imports from Australia included natural gas, metallic ores, and plant products.
