Thailand to Sign World's First Regional Digital Trade Pact

The 49th ASEAN Summit aims to drive the ASEAN digital economy and ASEAN-China 3.0 to expand trade opportunities, reduce barriers, and establish shared rules and standards. Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Supajee Suthamphan revealed she will accompany the Prime Minister to the 49th ASEAN Summit in Manila, Philippines, from November 15-17, 2026, in her capacity as the Deputy Prime Minister responsible for the ASEAN Economic Community pillar. The summit will cover the ASEAN Summit itself and meetings with key dialogue partners including China, Japan, Australia, South Korea, India, and the United States. She will also sign the ASEAN Digital Economy Agreement, announce the entry into force of the upgraded ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA 3.0) on December 1, 2026, and report progress on the upgraded ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement (ATIGA Upgrade) targeting mid-2027 implementation.

Supajee stated the meeting will present 31 key economic pillar outcomes to ASEAN leaders, with the highlight being the signing of the ASEAN Digital Economy Agreement — the world's first regional digital trade agreement. It aims to create common digital economy rules and standards benefiting both businesses and consumers. The goal is to reduce digital trade barriers, promote international standards, and interconnect member states' digital systems for efficient collaboration, covering paperless trade, electronic payments, and digital identity verification. This will streamline procedures, cut business costs, and expand market access for entrepreneurs, especially MSMEs.

On goods trade, the summit will report progress on the upgraded ATIGA's entry into force, expected by year-end. The upgrade will enhance trade facilitation, reduce procedures and barriers, promote digital technology in trade processes, making intra-regional goods movement faster, more transparent, and efficient. This reduces costs for businesses, especially MSMEs, and expands trade opportunities. It also emphasizes trade continuity and essential goods access during crises, strengthening supply chain resilience and ASEAN's capacity to handle future economic challenges.

Additionally, Supajee will attend the 29th ASEAN-China Summit, where ACFTA 3.0 is expected to take effect on December 1, 2026. The upgrade will deepen economic cooperation and increase trade flexibility between ASEAN and China. This includes improving customs procedures to clear perishable goods within six hours, allowing Thai fruits and agricultural products to reach China faster, reducing delays and quality loss risks. It also covers promoting investment and environmentally friendly industries, while improving MSME access to trade regulations, lowering information costs, increasing transparency, and enabling entrepreneurs to operate more effectively.