The United Kingdom-Thailand trade relationship stands at a pivotal moment, as the nations celebrate the 170th anniversary of their diplomatic ties this year.
Marking this milestone, Matt Western, the UK Trade Envoy to Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, spoke to the Bangkok Post during a recent visit to Thailand for the UK-Thailand Investment Conference.
The interview focused on enhancing the trade and investment relationships between the two countries, with a particular emphasis on expanding into new sectors and leveraging opportunities presented by recent agreements.
He said both countries should take this opportunity to expand bilateral trade and investment in the new areas. In 2024, both countries signed the Strategic Partnership Roadmap, elevating their cooperation to a strategic level. This agreement encompasses a broad range of areas, including trade, investment, and regional collaboration.
Additionally, the En‑hanced Trade Partnership (ETP), signed in September 2024 by Thailand’s Commerce Minister Pichai Naripthaphan and UK Minister for Trade Policy Douglas Alexander, aimed to further bolster the trade and the investment landscape between the two nations.
These agreements lay out ambitious goals for reducing trade barriers and enabling easier access to each country’s markets for businesses.
Mr Western said these initiatives offer an excellent foundation for future growth, with the potential to unlock new opportunities for trade and investment across various sectors.
New focus areas
Mr Western identified several key sectors where both countries could see substantial growth with collaboration.
One of these is the education sector, where the presence of UK curriculum schools in Thailand provides an opportunity for further engagement.
He suggested Thailand could send more students to study in the UK, strengthening cultural and educational ties between the two nations.
The automotive industry, in which Thailand has established a strong reputation, was another key area for potential collaboration. He expressed interest in seeing more investment from UK automotive companies in Thailand and said that improving market access for UK manufacturers would unlock significant opportunities.
“I would like to see more investment from UK automotive companies into Thailand,” he said, adding that addressing trade barriers would help enable this growth.
Looking beyond traditional sectors, Mr Western also stressed the importance of clean energy. With the UK’s recent launch of the “Invest 2035” strategy — focusing on economic growth, innovation, and sustainability — he sees a promising future for Thai investment in the UK’s clean energy sector, particularly in wind and solar power projects.
Both nations stand to benefit from enhanced cooperation in this area as they work to improve global competitiveness and achieve environmental goals.
In light of growing global security concerns, he also highlighted the increasing significance of defence and military collaboration. The UK’s “Invest 2035” strategy includes a focus on defence manufacturing, and Mr Western invited Thailand to explore investment opportunities in the UK’s defence sector.
“Our prime minister has just announced increased defence spending, which will drive this industry,” he said.
“This also means that defence will play a key role in international trade, with the UK being home to some of the leading manufacturers globally, which may be of interest to the Thai military.”
Marking 170 years of ties
As the UK and Thailand mark their 170th anniversary of bilateral ties, Mr Western sees the occasion as an ideal opportunity to strengthen the relationship further.
“There are many opportunities to celebrate this anniversary,” he said, expressing optimism both countries can use this year to explore new avenues for collaboration.
The 170th anniversary provides a timely backdrop to expand trade and investment into new sectors such as education, automotive, clean energy, and defence, creating an exciting future for the UK-Thailand trade partnership.
With a strong foundation already in place and numerous opportunities for growth on the horizon, 2025 promises to be a landmark year for UK-Thailand relations, he said.
Western: Expand into new sectors
