On 17 April 2026, H.E. Mr. Sihasak Phuangketkeow, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, assigned H.E. Mr. Nikorndej Balankura, Ambassador of Thailand to France, to represent Thailand at a virtual meeting on the “Freedom of Navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.” The meeting was co-chaired by Mr. Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic, and Sir Keir Starmer, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Over 50 countries from the Middle East, South Asia, the Indo-Pacific, and members of the European Union participated, along with two international organizations, namely the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

The meeting reflected the shared position in supporting the ceasefire agreement and the pursuit of sustainable conflict resolution through diplomatic means. Participants reaffirmed their support for unrestricted freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and underscored the importance of adherence to international law in all circumstances, particularly the 1972 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Se (UNCLOS). They also expressed a strong commitment to jointly addressing the impacts on the global economy, food security, energy security, fertilizers, free trade, and the maritime industry. The meeting further called on international organizations, such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank, to adopt measures to assist low-income countries.

The meeting emphasized the importance of ensuring the safety of over 20,000 seafarers and more than 2,000 commercial vessels currently stranded, as well as preparing for the possible establishment of an international naval task force for defensive operations to protect commercial shipping transiting the Strait of Hormuz and to conduct underwater mine clearance.