Anutin to meet New Zealand leaders and businesses during August 20-22 visit

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and his delegation will visit New Zealand from August 20-22, continuing their overseas mission after completing an official visit to Australia.

On Thursday (August 20), Anutin is scheduled to depart from Fairbairn military airfield in Canberra at 9.30am and travel to Auckland.

The delegation is due to arrive at Auckland Airport at 2.45pm local time, five hours ahead of Thailand, before travelling to the Park Hyatt Auckland to prepare for the visit’s official engagements.

Talks with leading New Zealand companies

The prime minister will focus on advancing economic cooperation during his first afternoon in Auckland, holding meetings with senior executives from major New Zealand companies.

At 4pm, Anutin is scheduled to meet executives from Skyline Enterprises, followed at 4.30pm by talks with T&G Global to exchange views and explore opportunities for greater business cooperation.

On Friday (August 21), the prime minister will attend an official welcoming ceremony at Government House before holding full-delegation bilateral talks with the New Zealand prime minister.

The discussions are intended to advance practical cooperation between the two countries across a broad range of areas.

New Zealand investment applications reach THB1.09bn

Between 2021 and June 2026, investors from New Zealand submitted nine applications for investment promotion in Thailand, with a combined investment value stated at 1.085 billion baht.

In 2021, two projects worth a combined 6 million baht applied for promotion. One project worth 6 million baht followed in 2022, while one project worth 78 million baht was submitted in 2023.

Two projects worth 111 million baht were recorded in 2024, followed by two projects worth 14 million baht in 2025. During the first six months of 2026, one project worth 871 million baht applied for investment promotion.

Tourism accounted for the largest share of New Zealand investment in Thailand, with a value of 871 million baht, representing about 80% of the total.

The mineral, metal and materials sector attracted 78 million baht, or 7%, while electrical appliances and electronics accounted for 61 million baht, or 6%.

Among the major projects, Skyline Enterprises applied for investment promotion in 2026 for an amusement park project worth 871 million baht.

Unada invested 55 million baht in the production of motors for electrical appliances, while Jiamoei Industry invested 22 million baht in the manufacture of vessels weighing less than 500 gross tonnes.

Three trade agreements support bilateral commerce

Thailand and New Zealand cooperate under three free trade agreements.

The Thailand-New Zealand Closer Economic Partnership, or TNZCEP, took effect in 2005. The ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area, or AANZFTA, entered into force in 2010, followed by the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, or RCEP, in 2022.

The agreements have helped increase bilateral trade and exports between the two countries.

Thailand is New Zealand’s second-largest apple export market after China. T&G Global has stated that Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia together receive between 50% and 60% of the apples grown in New Zealand.

Thailand is also regarded as a suitable location for establishing bonded warehouses to distribute New Zealand goods throughout ASEAN, supported by the country’s infrastructure and logistics capabilities.

Thailand and New Zealand are now working to elevate their relations to a Strategic Partnership as they mark the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties, with the aim of deepening cooperation in trade and investment.