On 20 May 2026, H.E. Mr. Vijavat Isarabhakdi, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, delivered a Keynote Address and participated in a panel discussion at the Political Dialogue Forum under the theme “Forging Future Partnerships: Thailand and Germany - Promoting Stability, Trade, and Sustainable Growth in the Indo-Pacific” at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Berlin.

The event was co-organised by the Royal Thai Embassy in Berlin, Asienbrücke (Asia Bridge), and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS), and brought together representatives from the German public and private sectors. Participants and speakers included H.E. Mr. Florian Hahn, German Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany; Mr. Frank Hartmann, Director-General for Asia and the Pacific at the German Federal Foreign Office; Mr. Andreas Scheuer, former Federal Minister of Transport of Germany and Chairman of Asienbrücke; and Mr. Thomas Hundt, Southeast Asia Analyst at Germany Trade and Invest.

In his Keynote Address, the Vice Minister highlighted the impact of growing geopolitical volatility on the Indo-Pacific and other regions, particularly the situation in the Middle East, amid rising tensions and conflicts among major powers, which continue to affect energy security, maritime security, supply chain resilience, and international trade routes. He underscored the important role of Thailand and Germany, as middle powers, in promoting stability, strengthening cooperation, maintaining strategic autonomy, and preserving policy flexibility in an increasingly complex and rapidly evolving global environment.

During the panel discussion, the Vice Minister emphasised that Germany and the European Union remain important partners in Thailand’s economic development, particularly in the areas of technology transfer, workforce skills development, digital transformation, and green industries. He also reaffirmed Thailand’s commitment to expanding economic opportunities in new markets, strengthening supply chain resilience through industrial cooperation and enhanced logistics connectivity, and advancing negotiations on the Thailand - EU Free Trade Agreement toward an early conclusion.