Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has called for stronger economic partnership to ensure a more competitive and resilient economy amid ongoing geopolitical challenges.
Speaking at the Bangkok Business Summit 2026 on Thursday, Anutin noted that geopolitical shifts have significantly disrupted global supply chains and the global economy. Therefore, Thailand must reassess how it engages with the world, from deepening economic partnerships to strengthening businesses and production networks across the region.
“In a fragmented world, that openness and ability to work with different partners is an economic asset,” he said.
Anutin also called on foreign investors to build with Thailand, adding that the government will review more than 7,000 rules and regulations to make doing business in Thailand easier and more predictable.
“Most importantly, we want investment that becomes part of the Thai economy, investment that develops local suppliers, trains our people, strengthens SMEs and creates new knowledge here for international investors,” he said.
The Thai government has also delineated key areas that need to be addressed to build economic resilience to shifts in geopolitics and geo-economics, AI, climate change and aging societies.
Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas also reiterated the need to build a resilient economy for both Thailand and the ASEAN region, as geo-economics are reshaping major supply chains, and current trade tariffs are redirecting goods and investment to other regions as businesses seek to diversify risk.
Ekniti said he wants the ASEAN region to become a "network of trusted connectors”, building an interconnected system of digital infrastructure, clean energy, modern mobility, advanced industries and human capabilities to respond better to global challenges. He said that a stronger collaboration between governments and the private sector is vital to this transition.
“No ASEAN country can deal with these challenges alone. They may compete for trade and investment. Competition is healthy, but there are many areas in which competing steadily actually makes the region weaker,” he said.
Meanwhile, Payong Srivanich, Chairman of the Joint Standing Committee on Commerce, Industry and Banking (JSCCIB), revealed that governments and businesses share a mission to strengthen competitiveness and economic resilience.
Payong stated that the private sector plays a huge role in identifying obstacles that are preventing investment and productivity, while helping Thai businesses move to higher value supply chains. He added that, if Thailand improves its connectivity, businesses can move more easily across the region.
“A stronger Thailand contributes to a stronger ASEAN, and a more connected and resilient ASEAN expands the opportunities available to Thailand and all our neighbours,” he stated.
Thailand is facing a series of economic challenges, particularly from the energy crisis, stemming from the war in the Middle East. Many institutions have forecast that the country’s GDP growth for this year will be lacklustre at 1.6% for the rest of 2026, the lowest among its ASEAN neighbours.
The World Bank, however, released a new economic report for Thailand, indicating that it needs to increase its GDP per capita by 5.4% per year over the next decade if the country aims to reach its goal of becoming a high-income country by 2037.
It also listed 10 priorities for Thailand to address if it is to transform its economy and future workforce. These include leveraging data centre investments, improving the startup ecosystem, increasing EV investment and production, growing sustainable tourism, lowering digital service and trade restrictions, enhancing access to finance for SMEs, improving the business and investment climate, improving foundational skills, cultivating STEM and AI talent, boosting growth in secondary cities and scaling up clean energy and climate resilience.
