On Monday, PM Srettha Thavisin, in a landmark visit to Paris, discussed trade and diplomatic matters with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Prime Minister Settha Thavisin’s Paris tête-à-tête with French President Emmanuel Macron heralds a push for visa-free Schengen access for Thai passport holders. Amid trade and nuclear power talks, Thailand eyes closer ties with the EU.

French President Emmanuel Macron is to visit Thailand in 2025. In the meantime, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin is expecting positive news on Thailand’s push to allow its passport holders visa-free access to the European Schengen zone by the end of 2024. These were just some of the upshots from an important meeting in Paris between the French head of state and the Thai PM on Monday.

 

In addition, the talks covered French expertise in civil nuclear power and the possibility of a Formula 1 Grand Prix stage coming to Thailand. Afterwards, PM Srettha Thavisin announced that Thailand’s free trade pact with the European Union was on track to be sealed in 2025.

On Monday, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin and French President Emmanuel Macron met at the Élysée Palace in the French capital, Paris. The Thai government leader and French head of state discussed a range of issues, including the finalisation of a free trade pact between Thailand and the European Union, Formula 1 racing, nuclear power and visa-free access to the Schengen zone for Thai travellers.

 

by James Morris and Son Nguyen

 

Full story: Thai Examiner.com 2024-03-13

 

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This will not happen. Far too many Thais would abandon Thailand and stay in Europe. There would be a mass exodus. Thailand still suffers from the Prayuth Decimation. The economy is hurting badly. 

 

Wishful thinking on the part of a PM, who has no contact with reality, nor any use to the people of this nation. And we thought Prayuth was incompetent. 

 

No.

So this was a "discussion".

 

English versions of this topic in the Thai press seemed to indicate it was a done deal and would be implemented by the end of next year.

 

 

Here's the official press conference report : https://www.elysee.fr/emmanuel-macron/2024/03/11/entretien-avec-srettha-thavisin-premier-ministre-du-royaume-de-thailande

 

The PM does talk about schengen visas but not E. Macron. And as the PM said, France can support the demand of Thailand but it is EU that makes the decision. I doubt it will happen.

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand eyes closer ties with the EU.

Maybe they should tow thee line a bit more with the EU... I'm sure Thailand knows what bargaining chips are 

1 hour ago, spidermike007 said:

This will not happen. Far too many Thais would abandon Thailand and stay in Europe. There would be a mass exodus. Thailand still suffers from the Prayuth Decimation. The economy is hurting badly. 

 

Wishful thinking on the part of a PM, who has no contact with reality, nor any use to the people of this nation. And we thought Prayuth was incompetent. 

Do you seriously think that Europe is a better place to be than Thailand?

3 minutes ago, sidneybear said:

Do you seriously think that Europe is a better place to be than Thailand?

In some aspects, yes. 

 

4 hours ago, webfact said:

push for visa-free Schengen access for Thai passport holders.

 

Europe should imply the exact same requirements for thais as Thailand does for europeans .

That includes the 90 day reporting .

19 minutes ago, sidneybear said:

Do you seriously think that Europe is a better place to be than Thailand?

From a Thai view point the answer is a big YES

Won't happen. Europe is already overwhelmed with unwelcome Third Worlders.

1 minute ago, mfd101 said:

Won't happen. Europe is already overwhelmed with unwelcome Third Worlders.

Room for plenty more.... over 3000 have arrived illegally on the shores of UKs o far this year, and we are early in the year, and in the historically slow cold season!

1 hour ago, sidneybear said:

Do you seriously think that Europe is a better place to be than Thailand?

That's not what spidermike said. You are reaching for a strawman.

5 hours ago, webfact said:

positive news on Thailand’s push to allow its passport holders visa-free access to the European Schengen zone by the end of 2024.

Just cancelled my TGF's Schengen application.  I wanted to spend a lavish week in Spain after securing a UK Visa but the complexity overwhelmed me.

Doesn't France have Enough nail salons, and 'Massage Parlors' ?

Another one of those it should be reciprocal, so what about UKRAINE will that be on the laughing Clowns visit? 

Visa-free access might present even more problems with more denials on entry, forcing a quick return back to Thailand, as we see with Korea today.

 

Requiring a screening process via a visa as is done with Schengen and U.K. is probably a better process. 

 

 

 

6 hours ago, webfact said:

the possibility of a Formula 1 Grand Prix stage coming to Thailand.

Discussing this with the French President is like talking to him about the price of fish in Huddersfield market.

I suppose he could have discussed about not having a GP - like France in 2023 and 2024...

1 hour ago, jacko45k said:

In some aspects, yes. 

Well, there's no such place as Utopia, is there?

58 minutes ago, MarcelV said:

That's not what spidermike said. You are reaching for a strawman.

How so? Mike said that if Europe opened up, Thailand would move there. I rebutted this by saying that Europe is a dump, and what Mike said won't happen.

1 hour ago, JoePai said:

From a Thai view point the answer is a big YES

I don;t think so. Bargirls might say that to you, but most Thais I meet are perfectly happy where they are.

53 minutes ago, mrfill said:

Discussing this with the French President is like talking to him about the price of fish in Huddersfield market.

I suppose he could have discussed about not having a GP - like France in 2023 and 2024...

Can't understand why Macron is wasting his time with the UPM [Unelected Prime Minister] of a country that's so irrelevant that we didn't even colonise it. 

57 minutes ago, sidneybear said:

I don;t think so. Bargirls might say that to you, but most Thais I meet are perfectly happy where they are.

Nonsense, that is why so many Thais travel overseas to work, some in places I would not personally visit

7 hours ago, webfact said:

push for visa-free Schengen access for Thai passport holders.

Nice but why not for all ASEAN passport holders than just Thailand? A kind of quid pro quo.

3 hours ago, nobodysfriend said:

 

 

Europe should imply the exact same requirements for thais as Thailand does for europeans .

That includes the 90 day reporting .

"Imply"?  Huh?

what a clown

3 hours ago, sidneybear said:

Do you seriously think that Europe is a better place to be than Thailand?

 

Thai prostitutes certainly do! ....... More money!

 

It won't happen and shouldn't happen, there will be a surge in the wrong type of Thais heading for Europe adding to the existing problems the EU and UK are facing.

Any access to EU should be reciprocal.  Same for UK.

6 hours ago, spidermike007 said:

And we thought Prayuth was incompetent. 

 

I keep telling you, Prayuth was better.

4 hours ago, nobodysfriend said:

 

 

Europe should imply the exact same requirements for thais as Thailand does for europeans .

That includes the 90 day reporting .

 

...and TM30!