On 28 August 2026, H.E. Mr. Sarun Charoensuwan, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, delivered a keynote address on “Geopolitical Instability and Political Uncertainty Disrupt Transportation” at the 19th ATRANS Annual Conference, which was organized by the Asian Transportation Research Society (ATRANS), under the theme “Resilient Mobility and Transportation Beyond Disruption” at the Chatrium Grand Hotel, Bangkok.

The Vice Foreign Minister highlighted the evolving global landscape, driven by intensifying geopolitical, geo-economic, and geo-technological competition, which has created obstacles to transportation and international travel, as well as disruptions to global supply chains. The development of transport routes connecting destinations within Thailand and with neighbouring countries would help strengthen Thailand’s role as a key regional connectivity hub and create new opportunities for trade, investment, and tourism. In addition, the Vice Foreign Minister further underscored that enhancing capacity in infrastructure, technology, and human resources would be key factors in strengthening Thailand’s long-term competitiveness.

The Vice Foreign Minister also underlined the importance of building partnerships with countries and relevant stakeholders to jointly develop more resilient and interconnected transport networks and supply chains. As such, Thailand stands ready to leverage international cooperation and its geographical advantages to turn the challenges arising from global uncertainties into opportunities for sustainable economic growth and stability.