Supachee Leads Thailand Team to America, Strikes New Deals to Expand Trade and Investment Base
Deputy PM Supachee led a Thai delegation to Washington in May to strengthen trade and investment ties with the U.S., securing commitments from American officials and businesses to expand cooperation in energy, technology, and agricultural s
Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Supachee Panitchpakdi announced that her recent visit to Washington, D.C. with the "Team Thailand+" delegation from May 4-5, 2026, was aimed at promoting economic cooperation, trade, and investment between Thailand and the United States, an important economic partner. The delegation participated in significant activities and held comprehensive discussions with both U.S. government and private sector representatives.
The visit reflected the Thai government's commitment to strengthening economic relations with the United States across all dimensions including trade, investment, and public-private cooperation. Thailand is prepared to work closely with all U.S. sectors to drive economic relationships toward concrete and sustainable results.
Supachee stated that she participated in the SelectUSA Investment Summit 2026 alongside Panpriya Pahithanakul, advisor to the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, and Poj Aramwattananont, Chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, representing "Team Thailand+" as a unified effort between the Commerce Ministry, Foreign Ministry, and Thai Chamber of Commerce, together with leading Thai business representatives. The delegation sought to create opportunities and promote Thai investment in the United States, particularly in sectors where Thailand has competitive advantages such as energy, agricultural processing, and advanced technology industries, reflecting Thai business confidence in the U.S. economy and Thailand's role as an important investment partner.
Supachee reported positive discussions with U.S. Commerce Department representatives, who expressed readiness to facilitate Thai private sector investments in the United States. She also met with private sector representatives from various U.S. states including Texas and Utah, which are potential hubs for energy, technology, and future industry investments, and all expressed willingness to welcome Thai investments.
Supachee noted that leading Thai private sector participants in the SelectUSA Investment Summit 2026—representing energy, petrochemicals, food, and electronics sectors—demonstrated Thailand's plans for continued investment expansion in the United States. Current Thai investments in the U.S. exceed $17 billion with growing momentum. The summit participation also created opportunities for Thai private companies to connect with U.S. business partners and government agencies to expand cooperation in supply chains and target industries.
Additionally, Supachee held discussions with the U.S.-ASEAN Business Council (USABC), where she presented Thailand's vision and invited U.S. private sector companies to invest in Thailand. She emphasized Thailand's economic policies focused on enhancing competitiveness, restructuring the economy for the future, and promoting target industries such as Food Innovation and the Digital Economy—sectors with potential for supply chain linkages between Thailand and the United States.
U.S. private sector representatives expressed interest in expanding cooperation and investment in Thailand in mutually beneficial sectors including food technology and innovation, tourism and hospitality, and as partners supporting economic growth and development.
