During 11–14 May 2025, H.E. Mr. Chutintorn Gongsakdi, Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, joined Dr. Nalinee Taveesin, President of the Thailand Trade Representatives, Dr. Poj Aramwattananont, Chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, in leading the Thai Delegation of 35 executives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Commerce, Thailand Board of Investment, and leading Thai companies with major investments in the U.S., to participate in the SelectUSA Investment Summit 2025 in Maryland. The event, hosted annually by the U.S. Department of Commerce, serves as a key platform to promote investment in the U.S. and foster ties between U.S. states, private sector investors, and economic development organizations from around the world.

This visit marked a strong collaborative effort between the Thai public and private sectors, with the shared objective to further enhance the Thailand-U.S. economic partnership, particularly through promoting opportunities for Thai companies to expand their investments in the U.S., which will also help strengthening ties between Thailand and the U.S.

The Thai delegation reiterated its readiness to consider expanding investments in the U.S. and met with representatives from various U.S. states to explore investment potential, while also attending sector-specific discussions on enhancing investment cooperation in targeted industries. Notably, Mr. Ampon Asuwapongpatana, Vice President of U.S. Business, Charoen Pokphand Group Co., Ltd. (C.P. Group), was invited by the U.S. side to speak at the Industry Spotlight: Food and Beverage session, sharing valuable insights on the opportunities and challenges of investing in the U.S. food industry, drawing from C.P. Group’s experience as a major foreign investor with significant operations in the sector.

The Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs emphasized that the U.S. has long been Thailand’s key economic partner in trade, investment, and other economic cooperation while Thailand’s investments in the U.S. play an increasingly significant role in the bilateral economic partnership for mutual benefits, currently totalling over USD 17 billion, creating more than 12,000 jobs across over 20 U.S. states, with significant potential to grow. The Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs also cited an example of Thailand’s interest in the energy sector, with Mr. Prasert Sinsukprasert, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Energy, leading a delegation to Alaska to explore cooperation opportunities related to LNG the week before. The recent Alaska visit was a follow up on the visit to Thailand by Governor Mike Dunleavy of Alaska in March 2025.

Following discussions with the Thai private sector, the President of Thailand Trade Representatives saw strong potential for the Thai private sector’s additional investment of more than USD 2 billion in the near future, with conducive economic conditions.

The Thai private sector delegation to the SelectUSA Investment Summit 2025 comprised executives from leading Thai companies with substantial investments in the U.S., such as Charoen Pokphand Group, Banpu, PTT, Indorama Ventures, SCG, Thai Summit, Thai Union, and EGCO, with a combined investment value of approximately USD 15 billion in the U.S.