BANGKOK: Thailand has extended its SECA MoU with Australia for three years, through Nov 17, 2028, to expand trade, tech, and green-economy cooperation.
Thailand’s commerce minister has signed an agreement to extend a memorandum of understanding on strategic economic cooperation with Australia for a further three years, the head of the Department of Trade Negotiations (DTN) said.
DTN director-general Chotima Iemsawasdikul said caretaker Commerce Minister Suphajee Suthumpun signed the extension on Nov 14, while she was still fully authorised to do so. The Strategic Economic Cooperation Arrangement (SECA) MoU was extended from November 17, 2025 to Nov 17, 2028.
In 2022, Thailand and Australia signed the first SECA MoU in Bangkok to mark the 70th anniversary of Thailand–Australia relations.
The MoU formed part of efforts to elevate bilateral ties to a strategic partnership and aimed to broaden economic cooperation in areas where both countries have potential and shared interests. It also built on the existing Thailand–Australia Free Trade Agreement (FTA), which marks its 20th anniversary this year.
Chotima added that the renewed SECA MoU remains focused on strengthening and advancing cooperation in economic, trade and academic areas across eight key sectors that both sides consider important and in which each has expertise.
These include upgrading agriculture through the use of technology, promoting high-quality tourism, developing education curricula—particularly vocational programmes—and increasing value-added investment between the two countries.
It also covers cooperation on emerging issues, such as promoting trade to support advances in medical technology and healthcare services, digital trade and the digital economy, the creative economy, and the transition to a green economy—through the use of renewable energy and reduced carbon emissions.
These trends will help address environmental and climate challenges. Both sides plan to periodically review and adjust economic cooperation beyond the eight core areas to ensure it remains aligned with global trade and economic developments.
During the first 10 months of 2025 (January–October), trade between Thailand and Australia was valued at US$14,303.82 million. Thailand’s exports to Australia totalled US$9,683.49 million, down 6.58% year on year, while imports from Australia amounted to US$4,620.33 million, a decline of 2.04% from the same period last year.
Key Thai exports included automobiles, parts and components; air conditioners and parts; and rubber products. Major imports from Australia included natural gas, other metal ores, scrap metal and related products, as well as diamonds, gemstones, silver bullion and gold. - The Nation/ANN
