On 7 January 2025, H.E. Ms. Arjaree Sriratanaban , Ambassador of Thailand to Australia, delivered a keynote address on the topic “Thailand-Australia: Opportunities and Challenges in a Volatile World” in the Asia Forward Series Seminar, organised by the Institute of Asian Studies, at Music Hall, Art and Culture Building, Chulalongkorn University. The event was attended by around 200 participants from various sectors, including government agencies, companies, civil society, academia and diplomatic corp in Bangkok, as well as students.

 

On this occasion, Ambassador Arjaree underscored a number of challenges the international community and Thailand face and emphasised the importance of Thailand working and cooperating with friends and partners, including Australia. She then highlighted the strengths of the Thai–Australian relations which encompass all dimensions, including security, economic, and people-to-people connections, and these can serve as a solid foundation to grow the Strategic Partnership between the two countries, to expand their opportunities and to meet common challenges.

 

Noting Australia’s Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040, the Ambassador highlighted complementarities between Thailand and Australia, particularly in advancing food security, energy security and human security which can bring benefit to both sides and beyond. She further proposed future-oriented agendas for the two countries. These included: 1) collaborating and forming partnerships on research and innovation in such areas as agriculture and food, medicine and healthcare, and clean and renewable energy; 2) promoting networks for innovation, start-ups, and SMEs; 3) upgrading collaboration on education and human resources development; 4) deepening investment; and 5) Thailand-Australia partnership beyond bilateral, especially trilateral development cooperation between Thailand and Australia, with countries in the Mekong Subregion, and the Pacific Islands Countries.