Paetongtarn grateful for Macron’s support on Thai-Cambodian border issue

Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra on Monday expressed her appreciation to French President Emmanuel Macron for his understanding and support in addressing the Thai-Cambodian border issue.

In a Facebook post, the Thai premier said she had held a telephone discussion with President Macron to exchange views on strengthening bilateral cooperation across all sectors, particularly in defence, space technology, and clean energy.

She noted that the conversation was aimed at elevating Thailand-France relations to a strategic partnership, underpinned by shared values in open international trade and a rules-based international order.Paetongtarn said she also used the opportunity to reaffirm Thailand’s proactive support for ASEAN centrality and its commitment to combating transnational crime, especially online scams, which remain a pressing global concern.

“I reaffirmed Thailand’s commitment to engaging in dialogue with Cambodia with a view to seeking a peaceful and mutually acceptable solution through existing bilateral mechanisms,” she said.

She added that President Macron had expressed his understanding of Thailand’s position and indicated his willingness to offer support.

The Thai leader also thanked France for backing Thailand in the Thai-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations and its bid to join the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), saying both initiatives would bring long-term benefits to both sides.

“I also extended an invitation to President Macron to pay an official visit to Thailand at a mutually convenient time, and President Macron, in turn, extended a reciprocal invitation for me to visit France as well,” she added.

(2025/06/30-00:00)