Joint Statement by PM Lawrence Wong and Thailand Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul at the Singapore-Thailand Leaders' Retreat (Sep 2026)

Thai Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul hosted Prime Minister and Minister for Finance Lawrence Wong for their first Singapore-Thailand Leaders’ Retreat on 2 September 2026 in Bangkok, Thailand.

The Leaders had a substantive and wide-ranging discussion on international developments and bilateral relations. The Leaders reaffirmed our long-standing defence and economic cooperation and agreed to explore new areas of cooperation in the green and digital economies, artificial intelligence, energy resilience, connectivity, food security and combatting transnational crime. They agreed to build on the close people-to-people ties and cooperation in social development. The Leaders tasked the relevant Ministers and agencies to follow up accordingly, including through existing bilateral cooperation platforms such as the Singapore-Thailand Civil Service Exchange Programme (CSEP) and the Singapore-Thailand Enhanced Economic Relationship (STEER).

The Leaders agreed that Singapore and Thailand should work closely together during their ASEAN Chairmanships in 2027 and 2028 respectively to advance ASEAN’s priorities, strengthen regional integration, deepen cooperation with external partners, and unlock new opportunities for the region. They also reaffirmed their shared interest in maintaining a rules-based international order.

The commitment from Singapore and Thailand to advance bilateral and regional cooperation was captured in the Joint Statement on the Singapore – Thailand “Forward-Looking Strategic Partnership”. The Joint Statement is appended.

* * * * *

Joint Statement of the Singapore – Thailand

“Forward-Looking Strategic Partnership”

At the invitation of His Excellency Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand, His Excellency Mr. Lawrence Wong, Prime Minister and Minister for Finance of the Republic of Singapore, visited Thailand and attended the 5th Thailand–Singapore Leaders’ Retreat in Bangkok on 2 September 2026.

The Leaders reaffirmed the close and enduring partnership between Thailand and Singapore, built on shared interests and mutual understanding, and the regular exchange of visits and consultations at all levels. They welcomed the celebration of the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2025.

During the Leaders’ Retreat, the Leaders had substantive discussions on the future direction of bilateral relations, including opportunities to deepen cooperation. They also exchanged views on their strategic outlooks on key regional and global developments.

Building on more than six decades of enduring friendship, the Leaders took stock of ongoing bilateral cooperation and agreed to advance the “Forward-Looking Strategic Partnership”, with a commitment to advancing cooperation for the mutual benefit of both countries, combining strengths to achieve respective national resilience, while working together to promote peace, stability, and prosperity in the region amid growing geopolitical uncertainty and economic headwinds.

The Future Direction of Thailand – Singapore Partnership

The Leaders acknowledged that bilateral initiatives between Singapore and Thailand have helped to shape and pave the way for wider regional cooperation. They agreed to continue to play this constructive and proactive role.

Against the backdrop of a more complex and uncertain global environment, both sides noted the importance of leveraging respective strengths to continue building open, connected, and innovative economies for the region to thrive.

Both sides will promote regular high-level exchanges and make full use of existing bilateral mechanisms. As a follow-up to this visit, Thailand will host the 16th Civil Service Exchange Programme (CSEP) meeting to be presided over by the Foreign Ministers of both sides; and the Singapore–Thailand Enhanced Economic Relationship (STEER) Ministerial Meeting, to be co-chaired by Thailand’s Minister of Commerce and Singapore’s Minister for Sustainability and the Environment and Minister-in-charge of Trade Relations.

Building on the four pillars agreed during the official visit of the Thai Prime Minister to Singapore on 7 November 2025, the Leaders agreed on the following strategic direction.

Green and Sustainable Partnership

The Leaders acknowledged that volatility in the global energy market and disruptions to key energy supply chains as a result of the conflict in the Middle East have posed significant challenges globally, underscoring the critical need for secure, sustainable, affordable, and diversified energy sources.

The Leaders thus agreed to deepen cooperation on energy security, with particular focus on advancing the availability of low-carbon energy sources at both the bilateral and regional levels.

The Leaders welcomed the Lao PDR–Thailand–Malaysia–Singapore Power Integration Project (LTMS – PIP) as an important step towards realising the ASEAN Power Grid. Both sides reaffirmed the importance of developing multilateral and multi-directional power trade in ASEAN and agreed to work towards establishing the ASEAN Power Grid, which will promote and strengthen energy security and resilience in the region.

The Leaders welcomed the landmark 2025 Implementation Agreement on carbon credits collaboration under Article 6.2 of the Paris Agreement between Thailand and Singapore, which was the first such agreement on cross-border carbon credit trading between ASEAN Member States, and agreed to accelerate its implementation to facilitate the authorisation and transfer of high-integrity internationally transferred mitigation outcomes (ITMOs).

To advance sustainability, they agreed to explore further cooperation in areas like Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS), hydrogen, low-carbon technologies, and green finance.

Resilient and Integrated Economy

The Leaders acknowledged that the rules-based multilateral trading system is under growing strain and faces increasing risks of fragmentation. They noted that economic policies are increasingly shaped by geopolitical developments and concerns over supply chain vulnerabilities. Against this backdrop, they underscored the importance of countries remaining open, deepening partnerships, and strengthening connectivity to enhance both national and collective resilience.

In this context, they agreed to enhance bilateral trade and investment ties by leveraging respective strengths and promoting closer value-chain integration. Both sides will also enhance cooperation on supply chain resilience.

The Leaders recognised the shared interest of Singapore and Thailand, as trade-dependent economies, in maintaining open and resilient supply chains and the uninterrupted flow of essential goods. Given the importance of maritime trade to both countries and the wider region, they underscored the vital importance of keeping sea lines of communication secure and open and upholding navigational rights and freedoms, including the right of unimpeded transit passage in Straits Used for International Navigation, in accordance with international law, in particular the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

They welcomed Thailand’s membership of the Future of Investment and Trade Partnership (FITP), which aims to promote an open, rules-based and forward-looking trade agenda. They also noted Singapore’s and Thailand’s cooperation in other multilateral trade fora such as the World Trade Organization (WTO) and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC).

They agreed to expedite the implementation of the Memorandum of Cooperation on Rice Trade between the Government of Thailand and the Government of Singapore which was signed in November 2025 during the official visit by the Thai Prime Minister to Singapore, and explore other areas of cooperation on food security, with Thailand reaffirming its readiness to be a trusted partner for Singapore’s food security.

As Thailand accelerates its transition toward a low-carbon economy and strengthens its position as a regional logistics hub, they agreed to enhance investment partnership in high tech industries sectors including renewable energy, logistics, sustainability and the digital economy, along with talent development opportunities related to these investments.

They agreed to step up cooperation in the digital economy, including through the renewal of the MOU for Cooperation in the Field of the Digital Economy.  Singapore welcomes and supports Thailand’s interest to accede to the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement (DEPA). They also welcomed the signing of the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) during the upcoming ASEAN Summit in Manila.

They agreed to advance practical cooperation on AI, such as sharing of best practices on AI ecosystem, adoption, governance, talent development, research and development. They stressed the importance of regional cooperation on AI amid growing competition between major powers in this area.

They welcomed the pioneering role of both countries in advancing regional financial connectivity, especially the PromptPay – PayNow real-time cross-border payment link, which was the first of its kind in the world, and supported its continued regionalization through Nexus Global Payments in order to facilitate intra-regional trade, travels, and transfers. Both sides will continue to promote capital markets connectivity to facilitate investment flows between the two countries, with ASEAN, and into the region.

They welcomed the continued collaboration in strengthening air connectivity and cooperation in all aspects of civil aviation between Singapore and Thailand. Both sides also agreed to continue advancing cruise tourism and development.

They agreed to enhance cooperation to further strengthen the close people-to-people ties between the two countries through education, human resource development, cultural exchanges, the creative economy and tourism, with particular emphasis on engaging younger generations.

They welcomed the signing of the MOU on social development cooperation during this visit, and agreed to deepen cooperation in social development and social protection, particularly in promoting the well-being of people of all ages, especially families, children, women, older persons, and persons with disabilities.

Enhanced Defence and Security Cooperation

The Leaders welcomed the long-standing and close defence cooperation between Thailand and Singapore as a key pillar of the bilateral relationship and welcomed regular joint exercises between Thai and Singapore Armed Forces at bilateral and multinational levels, exchange of information including on maritime security through the Information Fusion Center and Counter-Terrorism Information Facility in Singapore, as well as personnel and military education. They agreed to increase cooperation in areas of mutual interest such as defence industry collaboration, supply chain resilience, and cybersecurity.

Both sides emphasised the importance of combatting transnational crime including online scams, and committed to exploring cooperation on this front including investigation, prevention, information sharing, capacity building, cooperation with the industry, and joint operations, with particular attention to financial crimes and digital assets. Both sides will also intensify efforts to combat transnational crime and online scams through ASEAN platforms and related mechanisms.

Closer Strategic Coordination on Regional Issues

The Prime Minister of Thailand conveyed its full support to the Prime Minister of Singapore for Singapore’s upcoming ASEAN Chairmanship in 2027, which will mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of ASEAN.

With Singapore and Thailand assuming the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2027 and 2028 respectively, both Leaders emphasized the need for close coordination to ensure continuity in charting a multi-year agenda towards the ASEAN Community Vision 2045 for a Resilient, Innovative, Dynamic, and People-centred ASEAN. ASEAN should continue to promote stable relations among major powers and keep them engaged in our region through ASEAN-led mechanisms and practical cooperation. Both Leaders reaffirmed their commitment to promoting an open, rules-based, and inclusive ASEAN-centred regional architecture. At the same time, they underscored the importance that stable and constructive relations among major powers are indispensable for the maintenance of peace and prosperity in the region.

In this regard, Thailand and Singapore will coordinate closely to advance regional integration, connectivity and resilience, as well as strengthen ASEAN’s cooperation and networks with its external partners. Both Leaders agreed that these efforts will uphold ASEAN’s centrality and ensure ASEAN’s continued relevance in this fast-changing world.

Both sides will strengthen coordination to support capacity building in regional countries through the Third Country Training Programme.

Singapore and Thailand will also continue to work together to promote open sea lanes.

Both sides exchanged views on the situation in Myanmar, and the Thailand – Cambodia border situation and agreed to continue to coordinate closely on these issues.

The Prime Minister of Singapore expressed his appreciation for the warm hospitality extended to him and his delegation and invited the Prime Minister of Thailand to visit Singapore for the 6th Leaders’ Retreat.

* * * * *