“Thailand’s Ministry of Industry has signalled its intent to conclude Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations with the European Union by mid-2026, despite the current transition to a caretaker government.”
“Under the ‘Push-Fight-Pull-Persist’ policy framework, the government is committed to restructuring the national economy to ensure a seamless environment for European capital.”
“The Minister outlined a three-pronged strategy to modernise the Thai industrial sector:
“Decarbonisation: A concerted push toward Carbon Neutrality and Net-Zero emissions, with a particular emphasis on the Electric Vehicle (EV) supply chain.”
“Regulatory Alignment: Thailand expressed a proactive stance on aligning with the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) and Regulation on Shipments of Waste (RSW). This move aims to ensure Thai exports meet European ecological benchmarks, thereby reducing trade friction.”
“The Global Gateway: The Ministry is actively seeking to leverage the EU’s €300 billion ‘Global Gateway’ initiative to attract high-quality investment into Thailand’s S-Curve industries [slow growth to rapid growth to saturation].”