Strengthening Bilateral Cooperation between Singapore and Thailand
Prime Minister Lawrence Wong is set to make his introductory visit to Bangkok, Thailand, on November 28, 2024, as part of his series of introductory trips to South-east Asian capitals. This will be the first time Thailand’s new Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra hosts a foreign head of government since taking office in August. The two leaders had previously spoken after her election and met at the ASEAN summit in October.
During his one-day visit, PM Wong will also meet with King Maha Vajiralongkorn and Queen Suthida, further deepening ties between the two countries. This visit marks the fifth leg of PM Wong’s Southeast Asia tour, which has included visits to Brunei, Malaysia, Laos, and Indonesia.
The visit aims to strengthen bilateral cooperation in areas like education, renewable energy, digital economy, and food security. Singapore and Thailand have already had strong ties, particularly in trade, where bilateral trade reached S$41.8 billion in 2023. Singapore was Thailand’s second-largest foreign investor at S$4.8 billion.
The two countries are also advancing cooperation in digital payment systems and stock exchange linkage. The Singapore-Thailand partnership continues to grow in energy, defence, tourism, and more. With the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations coming up in 2025, this visit marks another milestone in strengthening their longstanding ties.
During PM Wong’s absence, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat will act as Prime Minister.
