PM Yingluck thanked the Swedish Premier for the warm welcome on her official visit to the Kingdom of Sweden. Thailand and Sweden maintain a cordial 145 years of diplomatic relations. On this occasion, PM Yingluck was granted an audience with His Majesty Carl XVI Gustaf, King of Sweden, and Queen Silvia, and humbly extended her well wishes to His and Her Majesties of Sweden on behalf of the Thai Government and people. Both Thailand and Sweden firmly believe in democracy and good governance, and strive on the principle of human rights along with national development.
Both premiers discussed on wide-ranging topics of mutual interests, and agreed on the strengthening of relations and cooperation in all dimensions as well as enhancing cooperation on the regional and global issues. As for bilateral cooperation, the two Prime Ministers witnessed the signing ceremony of Law Enforcement Cooperation Agreement and 2nd Thai-Swedish Joint Plan of Action, which will be a framework of cooperation between the two countries in the next 5 years. This reflects mutual intent in upgrading and boosting relations between Thailand and Sweden.
On economic cooperation, PM Yingluck reaffirmed Thailand’s readiness to initiate Thai-EU FTA negotiation, which would be a significant factor to the expansion of trade and investment between the two countries in the future. To enhance mutual trade and investment, PM Yingluck is accompanied by a group of over 30 businessmen from Thailand’s leading private companies in the areas of food, energy and green economy, medical tourism, designed products and creative economy, and banking, on her visit in order for them to meet with the Swedish counterparts, build connection, and seek investment opportunities and business expansion.
Furthermore, both parties agreed to promote cooperation on and exchange of scientific and technological knowledge, innovation, and researches particularly in the areas of alternative energy, green industry, resources management, sustainable development, cooperation on tourism to facilitate and tighten security measures for over 350,000 Swedish tourists travelling to Thailand, as well as expansion and development of medical tourism.
On the regional and global levels, both parties discussed and exchanged views on diversified issues, including regional development for both regions. PM YIngluck commended Sweden’s ability to sustain its economic growth rate and play an important role in mobilizing the Nordic countries through the ongoing EU’s economic challenges. PM Yingluck expressed her confidence that EU’s economic stability would be perfectly restored and become a global economic pillar once again.
As for the Southeast Asian matters, PM Yingluck took this opportunity to inform the Swedish Premier of Thailand’s mission towards ASEAN Community which would be realized in 2015 that the country had utilized a budget of 66,000 million dollar for investment on infrastructure construction and development to interconnect ASEAN’s transportation system and make Thailand the logistic and investment hub for Sweden to connect with other countries in ASEAN and the region. However, with the current global situations where there are issues and problems to be solved through international efforts, the two Prime Ministers agreed to support and encourage multilateral cooperation on the solutions of global issues, including decrease of development and sexual disparity, and prevention and preparation for natural disasters. Lastly, PM Yingluck thanked the Swedish Prime Minister once again for his warm welcome and looked forward to developing mutual relations in every aspect in the future.