Thailand, New Zealand Target Threefold Trade Growth
Thailand and New Zealand agreed to triple bilateral trade by 2030 through a strategic partnership focusing on food, clean energy, and advanced technology, with nine major Thai corporations participating in talks led by Deputy PM Ekniti in A
Deputy Prime Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas led Thai private-sector representatives in business negotiations with New Zealand, establishing a strategic partnership framework in food, energy, and technology, with the aim of tripling bilateral trade value by 2030.
On August 21, 2026, Ekniti co-chaired a Business Meeting in Auckland with New Zealand Trade Minister Todd McClay and executives from Invest New Zealand. The event brought together Thai and New Zealand business leaders for networking and discussions on industrial development in food, clean energy, and advanced technology.
Ekniti noted that Thailand and New Zealand benefit from strong economic ties through three free-trade agreements: the Thailand-New Zealand Closer Economic Partnership (TNZCEP), the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA), and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). The initiative aims to foster genuine two-way trade and investment, including attracting New Zealand technology firms to invest in Thailand and helping Thai entrepreneurs expand into New Zealand.
Three priority sectors were identified: food and bioproduction, combining New Zealand's agricultural technology with Thai production capacity; clean energy, including energy storage and smart grid technology to meet growing industrial demand; and advanced technology and manufacturing, linking New Zealand innovators with Thailand's industrial base.
The Deputy Prime Minister assured investors that Thailand is accelerating economic restructuring through the Thailand FastPass initiative to streamline strategic investments, and is upgrading infrastructure, energy, and workforce skills. He positioned Thailand as a manufacturing and service hub linking supply chains across Southeast Asia, covering a consumer market of nearly 700 million people.
Nine leading Thai company groups participated, spanning energy, food, retail, building materials, and real estate, including B. Grimm Power, Baan Poo, Central Group, Charoen Pokphand Foods, Minor International, PTT, Thai Cement (SCG), Supalai, and Thai Beverage. The New Zealand delegation was led by Robert Wall, Chief Executive of Invest New Zealand, along with officials from the New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ministry of Primary Industries, and the Prime Minister's Office, reflecting New Zealand's strong interest in Thai investors.
The success of this initiative is measured not just by investment figures but by elevating the bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership and identifying areas where both countries can collaborate and develop together.
