Thailand and Indonesia have pledged to boost trade and investment and cooperate on cyber scams and drug trafficking crackdowns, as Southeast Asia’s two biggest economies elevated ties to a strategic partnership.
They declared the elevation of their bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership following a high-level meeting on Monday at Government House between Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto.
The strategic partnership, agreed upon during the 10th Joint Commission Meeting held in Thailand on May 2, marked a milestone in the two countries’ progress toward deepening relations and collaboration.
Elevating the partnership was among the key issues discussed and agreed upon at the first high-level meeting under the Leaders’ Consultation framework during Mr Prabowo’s visit.
It was the Indonesian president’s first official trip to Thailand since taking office in October 2024 and the first official visit by an Indonesian president to Thailand in 20 years.
Welcoming the Indonesian leader, Ms Paetongtarn said that Mr Prabowo’s visit was an opportunity to strengthen ties and deepen cooperation between the two countries, which this year marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic ties.
She suggested that both leaders meet regularly and make more frequent high-level visits to enhance collaboration, and recommended drawing action plans with clear goals to support a strategic partnership.
Mr Prabowo, meanwhile, said elevating the bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership would open a new chapter in history between the two nations.
He also voiced confidence that the discussion under the Leaders’ Consultation framework would help advance bilateral cooperation.
The Indonesian leader said the country was ready to host the next meeting and extended an invitation for Ms Paetongtarn to visit Indonesia. The high-level talks also touched on security, health, tourism and economic cooperation.
On security, both countries focused on transnational crime, human trafficking and the narcotic trade, while Thailand also proposed a memorandum of understanding on the transfer of prisoners.
On the economic front, both sides believed they could expand and increase trade, with Thailand affirming its readiness to host the first Joint Trade Committee (JTC) meeting within this year as a mechanism to bolster trade, reduce barriers, and promote closer cooperation.
The Indonesian leader pledged support for Thai businesses interested in investing in Indonesia and invited the Thai private sector to invest in Danantara, Indonesia’s sovereign wealth fund, which was set up to increase the competitiveness of Indonesian state enterprises.
Regarding agriculture, fisheries, and food security, Indonesia proposed extending an MoU for the rice trade. Thailand has also agreed to export more rice to Indonesia to support its food security and the opening of the market for meat, livestock, and fresh fruits.
Ms Paetongtarn proposed setting up a working group to study the possibility of co-investing in fisheries industries to promote sustainable fishing and food security.
During the discussion, a Halal task force was also proposed to coordinate Halal food standards.
Both leaders also expressed satisfaction over an increase in tourism activities and agreed to explore and expand opportunities within this industry. They also welcomed Lion Air’s planned opening of the Surabaya-Bangkok and Medan-Bangkok routes and AirAsia’s planned opening of the Medan-Phuket route.
After the talks, both leaders witnessed Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsutin and Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono sign an MoU on health cooperation between the Thai and Indonesian health ministries.
Source: Bangkok Post
