Outgoing British Ambassador Reflects on Six Years in Thailand

By Nopporn Wong-Anan

When Mark Gooding arrived in Thailand in 2020, the country was locked down by COVID-19. Tourist arrivals had collapsed, diplomatic exchanges had slowed to a trickle, and much of his first year was spent studying Thai instead of attending official functions.

Six years later, as the British ambassador prepares to leave Bangkok at the end of July, the relationship between the United Kingdom and Thailand is arguably stronger than at any point during his tenure.

Trade has surged by around 60 percent to £8 billion, Britain and Thailand have upgraded ties to a Strategic Partnership, British tourist arrivals have reached record levels, and the Embassy in Bangkok now runs the UK's largest consular operation anywhere in the world.

In an hour-long interview before taking up his next post as Director for Asia at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Gooding reflected on geopolitics, Brexit, trade, cannabis smuggling, and why Thailand remains one of Britain's closest partners in Asia.

A More Dangerous World

Looking back, Gooding said the biggest change during his six years in Thailand was not confined to Thailand itself but to the international environment.

"The world is more fragmented than at any point in my lifetime," he said, pointing to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, growing geopolitical competition, and increasing pressure on the rules-based international order.

Those developments, he argued, make cooperation between countries like Britain and Thailand more important than ever.

"We have shared interests in international law, multilateral institutions and free trade. These are all under pressure, so it's important that countries like ours work together."

Gooding also noted that both countries have experienced significant political turnover during his posting, with several prime ministers and governments taking office in both Bangkok and London.

Strategic Partnership: More Than Symbolism

One of the biggest diplomatic achievements during Gooding's tenure was elevating UK-Thailand relations to a Strategic Partnership, making Britain Thailand's first such partner in Europe.

While the term may sound like diplomatic jargon, Gooding insisted it has practical significance.

"It's symbolic, because it reflects the importance of the relationship. But much more importantly, it's about what sits underneath it."

That includes closer cooperation on security, cyber issues, science, technology, education, climate change and trade.

Rather than representing the culmination of bilateral relations, he described the agreement as "the beginning" of a framework designed to deepen cooperation for years to come.

Brexit Didn't Change the Relationship

Asked whether Brexit fundamentally altered Britain's relationship with Thailand, Gooding said the answer was no.

The UK's friendship with Thailand stretches back 170 years diplomatically and more than four centuries between the two royal families.

"Fundamentally, the relationship remains one of partnership.