Canada's New Ambassador Commits to ASEAN-FTA Support
Thailand’s Commerce Minister Confirms Cooperation Enhancements
On Tuesday, the new Canadian ambassador to Thailand, Ping Kitnikone, met with Commerce Minister Pichai Naripthaphan to pledge support for the ASEAN-Canada Free Trade Agreement (FTA) talks.
Both parties agreed to aim for the FTA's completion next year, which will strengthen Thai and Canadian business relations, expand trade and investment opportunities, and enhance ASEAN-North America ties.
The FTA would mark Thailand's first trade agreement with North America.
Pichai highlighted Thailand's interest in attracting Canadian investments in sectors such as clean energy and digital industries, and in collaborating on AI and cybersecurity.
He also invited Canada to participate in Thai trade fairs and mentioned future meetings with Canadian officials, including a delegation visit in May. In 2023, Canada was Thailand's 30th trading partner with bilateral trade totaling $2.93 billion.