May 20, 2025
BANGKOK – Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto held a joint press conference on Monday to strengthen bilateral ties and ASEAN cooperation.
At Government House in Bangkok, the two leaders witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Public Health of the Kingdom of Thailand and the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia on health cooperation.
The agreement was signed by Thailand’s Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin and Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Sugiono.
The MoU aims to enhance relations between the two nations and promote cooperation in various public health areas. Key areas of focus include strengthening health systems and primary healthcare services, preventing and controlling communicable diseases, ensuring the security of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies, improving health financing, and promoting health tourism.
Following the MoU signing, Thai and Indonesian leaders held a joint press conference, with Thai government spokesman Jirayu Houngsub summarising the key points.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn expressed her honour in welcoming President Subianto on his first official visit to Thailand. She highlighted the long-standing friendship between the two nations, dating back over 150 years, with King Chulalongkorn’s historic visit to Java in 1871 marking a key milestone in bilateral ties.
The President’s visit reaffirms this enduring friendship and marks an important occasion as Thailand and Indonesia celebrate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year.
Both sides held constructive and friendly discussions, co-chairing the inaugural leaders’ consultation—a new mechanism designed to facilitate regular exchanges between the two countries’ leaders.
They also announced the elevation of bilateral ties to a strategic partnership, reflecting a shared commitment to deepen cooperation across multiple sectors for the mutual benefit of their peoples.
Thailand and Indonesia further pledged to work together to strengthen ASEAN amid ongoing global geopolitical and economic uncertainties.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn outlined the main outcomes of the discussions with President Subianto, highlighting strengthened cooperation across several strategic areas.
Political and security cooperation
Both leaders agreed to promote regular high-level exchanges and fully utilise existing bilateral mechanisms. The foreign ministries were tasked with developing a strategic partnership action plan, to be finalised within the year.
Military cooperation will be enhanced across multiple dimensions, including exploring joint efforts in defence industry collaboration. Thai and Indonesian police forces will also step up cooperation to combat transnational crime, particularly online fraud, human trafficking and drug smuggling.
Economic partnership
The two countries committed to boosting trade, investment and tourism. In 2024, bilateral trade reached US$18 billion (594.88 billion baht), and the Prime Minister expressed confidence in further growth potential that would benefit not only both nations but the wider ASEAN region.
Thailand will host the first Joint Trade Committee meeting this year to identify new areas of cooperation. The leaders encouraged closer collaboration between public agencies and the private sector to unlock new investment opportunities.
The Prime Minister thanked the Indonesian President for supporting Thai businesses operating in Indonesia and requested continued fair treatment to ensure their smooth operations.
Food and energy security
Both sides agreed to revitalise cooperation in food security, particularly in agricultural trade and the halal industry, and to explore a partnership in sustainable fisheries. They also pledged to increase collaboration on energy security, with a focus on renewable and green energy.
Tourism
The two countries welcomed the launch of new flight routes between Bangkok–Surabaya and Bangkok–Medan, as well as the planned Phuket–Medan route. These connections are expected to boost tourism links between Thailand and eastern Java and northern Sumatra.
Tourism agencies will jointly promote the new routes and explore further potential connections between destinations in both countries.
Public health and education
As members of the Foreign Policy and Global Health Group under the United Nations (UN) framework, Thailand expressed readiness to share its experience with Indonesia on universal health coverage, which it has developed since 2001.
Regional cooperation
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to ASEAN centrality and unity amid global political and economic uncertainties. They pledged to support inclusive and sustainable ASEAN economic and social integration, and to enhance regional stability.
They also shared a common interest in seeing a peaceful, stable and unified Myanmar. As close friends of Myanmar, Thailand and Indonesia will collaborate with Malaysia, the current ASEAN chair, to support peace efforts, with ASEAN playing a leading role.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn concluded by thanking President Subianto for his warm friendship and expressed hope for an official visit to Indonesia in the near future.