BANGKOK: Thailand and Singapore have agreed to advance a four-pillar strategic partnership while coordinating their consecutive Asean chairmanships in 2027 and 2028, placing bilateral cooperation and regional continuity at the centre of a renewed leaders’ dialogue.
Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong set the direction at the 5th Thailand–Singapore Leaders’ Retreat in Bangkok on Wednesday (Sept 2). The meeting was the first Leaders’ Retreat between the two countries in 11 years.
At a joint press conference at the Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok, Anutin said the timing was particularly important because Singapore and Thailand would assume the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in successive years.
Singapore will chair Asean in 2027, followed by Thailand in 2028. Anutin said the two countries therefore shared responsibility for helping the regional grouping respond to global challenges and emerge stronger.
Wong said the consecutive chairmanships offered the two governments an opportunity to develop a multi-year Asean agenda, maintaining continuity and momentum from Singapore’s term to Thailand’s.
The leaders welcomed the Joint Statement on the Thailand–Singapore “Forward-Looking Strategic Partnership” as a framework for the future direction of bilateral relations.
They also agreed to work towards four further cooperation agreements covering the digital economy, including artificial intelligence, transnational crime, food security and supply-chain resilience.
Before the press conference, Anutin and Wong witnessed the exchange of a memorandum of understanding between Thailand’s Ministry of Social Development and Human Security and Singapore’s Ministry of Social and Family Development.
The memorandum covers social welfare, community development, persons with disabilities, women, children and families, as well as personnel exchanges between the relevant agencies.
Energy and food resilience
The first pillar focuses on the environment, sustainability and greater resilience in energy and food supplies.
Thailand and Singapore agreed to deepen cooperation on clean and low-carbon energy while building on the Lao PDR–Thailand–Malaysia–Singapore Power Integration Project as a step towards the Asean Power Grid.
They will also expand cooperation on carbon credits, hydrogen and other low-carbon technologies.
On food security, Anutin said Thailand was prepared to serve as a reliable food partner for Singapore.
The two countries will build on their agreement for Thailand to supply 100,000 tonnes of rice to Singapore over five years and explore cooperation involving other food products.
Investment, digital links and artificial intelligence
The second pillar covers economic integration, investment and digital cooperation.
The two governments agreed to strengthen bilateral trade and investment, with Thailand seeking further investment from Singapore in semiconductors, digital industries, the green economy and logistics.
Cooperation will also cover the development of a highly skilled workforce to support investment in advanced industries.
Thailand and Singapore will expand collaboration in the digital economy, artificial intelligence and financial connectivity. They will also cooperate on Thailand’s accession process for the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
Wong said the partnership had continued to evolve alongside the changing priorities of both countries, with food and energy security, emerging technologies and connectivity among the areas offering scope for practical cooperation.
Defence cooperation and action against online crime
Defence and security form the third pillar of the partnership.
The two countries agreed to deepen established defence ties while expanding cooperation in cyber security and their defence industries.
They will also strengthen efforts against transnational crime and online scams through closer coordination among government agencies, banks and technology companies.
The joint agenda covers prevention, investigations, information-sharing, capacity-building and cooperation with relevant industries.
Successive Asean roles and regional diplomacy
The fourth pillar centres on strategic coordination over regional issues, particularly during the two countries’ consecutive Asean chairmanships.
Thailand pledged its support for Singapore’s chairmanship in 2027, while both governments agreed to coordinate closely so that Singapore’s priorities could connect with Thailand’s agenda in 2028.
The leaders also agreed to support Asean integration, resilience and connectivity while strengthening the organisation’s engagement with external partners. They stressed the importance of stable and constructive relations among major powers and an open, rules-based regional order centred on Asean.
On Myanmar, Anutin said the two sides had reaffirmed Asean’s role in supporting a peaceful and prosperous future for the country.
He briefed Wong on Thailand’s proposed “calibrated re-engagement” approach, under which Thailand would seek to serve as a bridge and encourage positive developments in Myanmar in support of Asean’s wider efforts.
Anutin said Thailand would work closely with Singapore and Myanmar to encourage further progress.
On Thailand-Cambodia relations, Anutin reaffirmed that Thailand intended to resolve differences peacefully through existing bilateral mechanisms.
Thailand will host follow-up meetings between the two countries’ foreign ministers and trade ministers in the near future to translate the leaders’ discussions into concrete cooperation.
Wong described Singapore’s relationship with Thailand as broad and substantive, founded on trust and offering considerable potential for further development.
He said the agenda agreed by the two leaders was intended to produce practical benefits for the people of both countries. Anutin said he looked forward to visiting Singapore for the next Leaders’ Retreat.
Thailand’s ministerial delegation included the deputy prime ministers responsible for foreign affairs and finance, as well as the ministers of defence, digital economy and society, social development and human security, and labour.
Singapore was represented by the coordinating minister for public services and defence minister, the foreign minister, the sustainability and environment minister responsible for trade relations, the social and family development minister, and the digital development and information minister. - The Nation/ANN
