UK-Thai Trade Relations Reach Turning Point in 170th Year

[webfact]

File photo courtesy of UK in Thailand - Facebook

 

The United Kingdom and Thailand are poised on the brink of a trade and diplomatic renaissance as they celebrate 170 years of bilateral relations. The inaugural UK-Thailand Investment Conference was recently hosted in Thailand, providing a platform for Matt Western, UK Trade Envoy to Southeast Asia, to discuss next steps in strengthening the trade relationship between the two nations.

 

Western's engagement with the Bangkok Post during his visit provided insights into the strategies intended to deepen economic ties. Key milestones have already been achieved: the signing of the Strategic Partnership Roadmap in 2024, coupled with the Enhanced Trade Partnership inked in September of the same year.

 

These agreements signify a concerted effort to eliminate trade barriers and facilitate market access—an agenda aimed at catapulting trade and investment endeavours.

 

Western asserts that these initiatives are crucial to leveraging emerging opportunities, with a particular focus on extending collaboration into sectors such as education, automotive, clean energy, and defence.

 

Education emerges as a promising sector for mutual growth, suggests Western, who foresees increased student exchanges and academic collaboration enhancing cultural and educational links. The existence of UK curriculum-based schools in Thailand is a fitting foundation for this enhanced engagement.

 

 

 

 

In the automotive sector, with Thailand's robust position as a manufacturing hub, there are significant opportunities for UK companies to invest. Western expressed intentions to reduce trade barriers, thereby facilitating increased UK automotive presence in Thailand—a move that promises mutual economic benefits.

 

Clean energy also presents a ripe arena for cooperation, aligned with the UK's "Invest 2035" strategy. Western foresees Thai investments transforming the UK's renewable energy landscape, particularly in wind and solar projects, a collaboration crucial to meeting global sustainability goals.

 

Furthermore, defence manufacturing could offer fertile ground for partnership. The UK’s strategy prioritises this sector, and increased defence spending opens avenues for Thai participation. Western pointed out, "Defence will play a key role in international trade, offering Thailand access to pioneering UK defence innovations."

 

The dialogue around these pressing matters coincides with the 170th anniversary of UK-Thai relations—a milestone Western considers an opportune moment to strenghten and reimagine the collaboration.

 

As both nations look forward to 2025 and beyond, the groundwork laid today is predicted to heighten competitiveness and catalyse economic growth. The enduring diplomatic ties serve not only as a symbolic handshake over the years but as a solid platform to augment trade and investment across pivotal sectors, ushering in a promising future for both the UK and Thailand, reported Bangkok Post.

 

-- 2025-03-24

 

 

[newbee2022]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Thai investments transforming the UK's renewable energy landscape, particularly in wind and solar project

Yeah, Thailand is very experienced in this matter.❗

Everywhere on the roofs you can see solar panels and 99% of Thailand's energy is created by renewable resources, mainly solar power.

And the these huge Hydrogen factories around Bangkok. Most of this is going for export.

......and then I woke up and watched Somchai with his water buffalos.❗🤗

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

The United Kingdom and Thailand are poised on the brink of a trade and diplomatic renaissance as they celebrate 170 years of bilateral relations. The inaugural UK-Thailand Investment Conference was recently hosted in Thailand, providing a platform for Matt Western, UK Trade Envoy to Southeast Asia, to discuss next steps in strengthening the trade relationship between the two nations.

I wonder if the luxury tax will come up in conversation... if not, why not

[Asquith Production]

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

The United Kingdom and Thailand are poised on the brink of a trade and diplomatic renaissance as they celebrate 170 years of bilateral relations.

But not in pension agreement 

[edwinchester]

Great news, pretty sure a UK-Thai trade deal will make up the more than £30billion lost annually by UK leaving the EU.

[hotchilli]

7 minutes ago, Asquith Production said:

But not in pension agreement 

True, something else to negotiate, as well as taxation, both in the UK and here in Thailand

[DonniePeverley]

The only thing Thaiand is importing from the UK is the Benidorm drunk Brits on a budget holiday, who make no attempt to fix into the local culture, and the older variety being racist.

 

 

[petermik]

10 minutes ago, DonniePeverley said:

The only thing Thaiand is importing from the UK is the Benidorm drunk Brits on a budget holiday, who make no attempt to fix into the local culture, and the older variety being racist.

 

 

Feeling better now after that rant.....

[DonniePeverley]

Just now, petermik said:

Feeling better now after that rant.....

 

A little. 

[Aussie999]

"The United Kingdom and Thailand are poised on the brink of a trade and diplomatic renaissance as they celebrate 170 years of bilateral relations. " Again they forget/ignore a small breakdown, or relationships... WW2... ignoring history.

[Aussie999]

21 minutes ago, DonniePeverley said:

The only thing Thaiand is importing from the UK is the Benidorm drunk Brits on a budget holiday, who make no attempt to fix into the local culture, and the older variety being racist.

 

 

And then we have expats like you... who just seem to hate others.

[goldenbrwn1]

Yeh the UK should just export  the daily arrivals it receives off the SE coast to Thailand and we could swap for lbfm’s , that would be perfect. But then again what do I know sat here drunk in Benidorm in my 50’s. And why do none of these Sapanish saaapeaka the Anglais fcs! 

[goldenbrwn1]

9 minutes ago, Aussie999 said:

And then we have expats like you... who just seem to hate others.

💯 and just love those labels . Here’s one for him . <deleted>## That started with a w btw and then had an a, n , k, e, and finally an r 👍 

[Aussie999]

53 minutes ago, goldenbrwn1 said:

💯 and just love those labels . Here’s one for him . <deleted>## That started with a w btw and then had an a, n , k, e, and finally an r 👍 

Can you be more precise... Come on mate  spit it out... Whatever you have to say, wouldn't surprise me.

[sandyf]

5 hours ago, newbee2022 said:

Yeah, Thailand is very experienced in this matter.❗

They are indeed, the UK can learn a  great deal, particularly the Heathrow area.

Put the falang mentality to one side and pay some attention.

https://www.egat.co.th/home/en/the-worlds-largest-hydro-floating-solar-hybrid/

[johng]

3 minutes ago, sandyf said:

Put the falang mentality to one side and pay some attention.

https://www.egat.co.th/home/en/the-worlds-largest-hydro-floating-solar-hybrid/

 

Solar panels make sense in Thailand as it has an abundance of sunny days

The UK  not known so much for its abundance of sunny days is it ?

[newbee2022]

8 minutes ago, sandyf said:

They are indeed, the UK can learn a  great deal, particularly the Heathrow area.

Put the falang mentality to one side and pay some attention.

https://www.egat.co.th/home/en/the-worlds-largest-hydro-floating-solar-hybrid/

Indeed.

However GIGA Watt is needed.

How easy it would be to order by law that new built houses are to be equipped with solar panels. If not, then at least all public buildings including hospitals and factories.

Yingluck promoted that. But it went down the river.

[sandyf]

9 minutes ago, johng said:

 

Solar panels make sense in Thailand as it has an abundance of sunny days

The UK  not known so much for its abundance of sunny days is it ?

You don't need sun to make solar panels work, it just improves the output.

Every year the UK has a water shortage contributed to a great extent by surface evaporation on reservoirs. However they only see floating balls as the best solution.

[connda]

4 hours ago, Aussie999 said:

"The United Kingdom and Thailand are poised on the brink of a trade and diplomatic renaissance as they celebrate 170 years of bilateral relations. " Again they forget/ignore a small breakdown, or relationships... WW2... ignoring history.

Shhhhhh.  Inconvenient Truths not allowed.  Now write the following on a white board 100 times:

 

𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓲𝓵𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓱𝓪𝓼 𝓷𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻 𝓫𝓮𝓮𝓷 𝓸𝓬𝓬𝓾𝓹𝓲𝓮𝓭 𝓫𝔂 𝓪 𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓮𝓲𝓰𝓷 𝓹𝓸𝔀𝓮𝓻...

𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓲𝓵𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓱𝓪𝓼 𝓷𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻 𝓫𝓮𝓮𝓷 𝓸𝓬𝓬𝓾𝓹𝓲𝓮𝓭 𝓫𝔂 𝓪 𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓮𝓲𝓰𝓷 𝓹𝓸𝔀𝓮𝓻...

𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓲𝓵𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓱𝓪𝓼 𝓷𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻 𝓫𝓮𝓮𝓷 𝓸𝓬𝓬𝓾𝓹𝓲𝓮𝓭 𝓫𝔂 𝓪 𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓮𝓲𝓰𝓷 𝓹𝓸𝔀𝓮𝓻...

𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓲𝓵𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓱𝓪𝓼 𝓷𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻 𝓫𝓮𝓮𝓷 𝓸𝓬𝓬𝓾𝓹𝓲𝓮𝓭 𝓫𝔂 𝓪 𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓮𝓲𝓰𝓷 𝓹𝓸𝔀𝓮𝓻...

𝓣𝓱𝓪𝓲𝓵𝓪𝓷𝓭 𝓱𝓪𝓼 𝓷𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻 𝓫𝓮𝓮𝓷 𝓸𝓬𝓬𝓾𝓹𝓲𝓮𝓭 𝓫𝔂 𝓪 𝓯𝓸𝓻𝓮𝓲𝓰𝓷 𝓹𝓸𝔀𝓮𝓻...

 

<keep going.......>

[sandyf]

10 minutes ago, newbee2022 said:

Indeed.

However GIGA Watt is needed.

How easy it would be to order by law that new built houses are to be equipped with solar panels. If not, then at least all public buildings including hospitals and factories.

Yingluck promoted that. But it went down the river.

Houses are a difficult one to deal with.

I don't think industry and public buildings are as out of it as you seem to think. I have seen a lot of new factories go up in this area with solar panels on the roof, I passed a new building a couple of weeks ago that had solar panels for shade in the car park. On the No 7 just south of Lat Krabang there is a fairly large solar farm, not sure if it is private or government.

It cannot be said there is nothing happening, at the end of the day all about resources and the Thai GDP is about a 6th of the UK.

[johng]

9 minutes ago, sandyf said:

You don't need sun to make solar panels work, it just improves the output.

 

I'm no rocket scientist or brain surgeon  but I think solar panels need light and the sun is the free source of the light

(until they mandate all everyone to workout on a treadmill hooked up to a 100 watt light bulb shining directly onto the darken panel)

So yes on an overcast  non sunny day  which are the norm in UK the output would be dismal compared to a sunny day,  a few days in a row of dismal weather and your batteries would be drained (get out that treadmill again)

also I believe there is  a point where the light level is low enough that no electricity is produced  even though its not dark ?

 

And so I repeat again  Solar is very good for a country like Thailand  not very good for a country like UK.. I Iike solar it just should be used where it

"makes sense"

 

The UK also has an abundance of North sea oil and gas which it makes sense to use for its own production  of cheap reliable 24/7 energy !

[Captain Flack]

Off topic post and replies removed. 

[Moonlover]

6 hours ago, newbee2022 said:

Yeah, Thailand is very experienced in this matter.❗

Everywhere on the roofs you can see solar panels and 99% of Thailand's energy is created by renewable resources, mainly solar power.

And the these huge Hydrogen factories around Bangkok. Most of this is going for export.

......and then I woke up and watched Somchai with his water buffalos.❗🤗

And what do you make of this then?

 

Thailand's massive floating solar farm.

 

https://www.google.com/search?client=opera&q=large+flowing+solar+farm+in+thailand&sourceid=opera&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:58fa7bba,vid:vsz0yZJdGIs,st:0

[MalcolmB]

I know plenty of money flows into Thailand daily purely from the English gentlemen having a “good heart”. 

Houses, motorbikes, businesses, school fees, sick buffaloes and land all paid for by English hansum man jai dee. 

[newbee2022]

1 hour ago, Moonlover said:

And what do you make of this then?

 

Thailand's massive floating solar farm.

 

https://www.google.com/search?client=opera&q=large+flowing+solar+farm+in+thailand&sourceid=opera&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:58fa7bba,vid:vsz0yZJdGIs,st:0

See my reply to #sandyf

[newbee2022]

2 hours ago, sandyf said:

Houses are a difficult one to deal with.

I don't think industry and public buildings are as out of it as you seem to think. I have seen a lot of new factories go up in this area with solar panels on the roof, I passed a new building a couple of weeks ago that had solar panels for shade in the car park. On the No 7 just south of Lat Krabang there is a fairly large solar farm, not sure if it is private or government.

It cannot be said there is nothing happening, at the end of the day all about resources and the Thai GDP is about a 6th of the UK.

The transformation is very slow though.

Think of the old Diesel powered trains. Most of solar power is provided by private equities I suppose.

It's not No1 on Thailand's agenda to be independent in matters of energy. 

This has to do with ownership of the big petrol companies. (and probably corruption)

 

[newbee2022]

2 hours ago, sandyf said:

Houses are a difficult one to deal with.

I don't think industry and public buildings are as out of it as you seem to think. I have seen a lot of new factories go up in this area with solar panels on the roof, I passed a new building a couple of weeks ago that had solar panels for shade in the car park. On the No 7 just south of Lat Krabang there is a fairly large solar farm, not sure if it is private or government.

It cannot be said there is nothing happening, at the end of the day all about resources and the Thai GDP is about a 6th of the UK.

To be honest I haven't seen any school with solar panels so far. They could run their Aircon by solar, same as hospitals or other public buildings (all office buildings)

There could be a lot done

[BritScot]

7 hours ago, edwinchester said:

Great news, pretty sure a UK-Thai trade deal will make up the more than £30billion lost annually by UK leaving the EU.

Are you mad? Such nonsense.  Maybe your family supported Nevil Chamberlain and wanted to surrender to Hitler? Try researching The "Red Door" plan of 1944.

[edwinchester]

2 hours ago, BritScot said:

Are you mad? Such nonsense.  Maybe your family supported Nevil Chamberlain and wanted to surrender to Hitler? Try researching The "Red Door" plan of 1944.

My grandfather was one of five brothers who served in the armed forces in WW2. He was a naval gunner in home waters and on the Arctic Convoys. He was decorated personally by the King in 1942 for shooting down three German aircraft whilst his own gun crew were killed and wounded after being shot at. I am immensely proud of all my families service. You are a perfect example of know nothing bigots spouting nonsense on something they know nothing about.

[DonniePeverley]

Apart from range rovers, scottish whiskey - anything else the UK exports ?