Thai PM Anutin Woos South Korea on Trade and Culture
Bangkok seeks $30bn trade target and urges seoul to address denied entry for Thai tourists and workers
- Thai Prime Minister Anutin proposed a $30 billion trade target with South Korea, advocating for a Free Trade Agreement and pledging support for South Korean investors.
- He praised South Korea's cultural influence, particularly its content industry, and plans for Thai agencies to study its model to support local start-ups and SMEs.
- Anutin also urged South Korea to address key issues, including the denial of entry for Thai tourists and the need for an increased quota for legal Thai workers.
Bangkok seeks $30bn trade target and urges seoul to address denied entry for Thai tourists and workers.
Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul used a bilateral meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung to push for closer economic and cultural ties while also raising pressing humanitarian and labour issues.
The talks took place at the Hwabaek International Convention (HICO) in Gyeongju, Republic of Korea, on Wednesday afternoon (3:40 PM local time), coinciding with the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting.
According to Siripong Angkasakulkiat, spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office, Anutin—who also serves as the Interior Minister—began by inviting President Lee to make a formal visit to Thailand at the earliest opportunity to deepen the relationship between the two nations.
The Thai Premier noted that the host city of Gyeongju, with its rich historical heritage, was similar to Thailand's own Ayutthaya Province.
On the economic front, the Prime Minister proposed an ambitious $30 billion trade target, naming a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) as the critical tool to achieve it.
He also confirmed Thailand’s full commitment to supporting South Korean investors, citing key projects:
- Hyundai, COSMAX, and KakaoBank's plans to establish a virtual commercial bank in the country.
- The establishment of the first South Korean industrial estate in Thailand by the Korea Land & Housing Corporation (LH).
Anutin further highlighted that the Thai Ambassador in Seoul would lead a South Korean business delegation to discuss cooperation with the Thai private sector within the next two weeks.
The Prime Minister acknowledged the widespread Thai admiration for Korean culture, particularly K-Pop, which has inspired many Thai youths to study the Korean language.
He praised South Korea's position as a global leader in content production.
He stated that he would instruct relevant Thai agencies to study South Korea’s content industry ecosystem, focusing on providing support for start-ups and SMEs in terms of skills and funding.
Furthermore, Anutin reiterated Thailand's backing for South Korea's role as an ASEAN Dialogue Partner and the Country Coordinator for ASEAN-ROK relations.
Concluding the talks, the Prime Minister made a direct appeal to President Lee to address two sensitive issues:
- Increasing the quota for legal Thai workers in South Korea.
- Intervening to help manage the growing problem of Thai tourists and citizens being denied entry upon arrival, which often results in significant financial and time costs for the travellers.
