Issue 58

 

 

With 160 years of diplomatic relations, Thailand and France have long been good friends, with the promise of many more years cooperation to come.

“[Thailand’s] culture and history is very rich. I love Thai cuisine, the people, the language, and I love the way of life in Thailand,” says Gilles Garachon, French Ambassador to Thailand who started his second post in the kingdom in October 2015, having spent an earlier term here between 1999 and 2003.

“For us, Thailand has been a very long-standing partner and friend,” said Garachon. “Thailand exports a lot of electronic and optical equipment to France along with food products and garments, while France is a major exporter of transport equipment such as aircrafts, helicopters and satellites.”

In 2015, Thai exports to France were worth €2.6 billion while French exports to Thailand totaled €1.73 billion. According to the French embassy, there are 250 French companies in Thailand, employing a combined 64,000 people mostly in industries such as automotives, pharmaceuticals and energy.

Garachon believes that innovation will be a key factor for countries staying competitive in the world market.

“In the future we want to focus on investing in many sectors [in Thailand], like manufacturing, luxury products, food, but also on innovation. Both countries are facing the situation where we have to single out products by innovation, so I think both countries have to work together to innovate in many sectors, like manufacturing, aircrafts, food and cosmetics – in which Thailand is very good.”

Examples of cooperation between the two countries include Thai sugar manufacturer Mitr Phol which is working with a French company to innovate its products, while paper manufacturer Double A is investing in a paper plant in France.
“The two key strengths for Thai trade with France are, firstly, Thailand is at the heart of ASEAN and secondly, the Thai economy shows a potential for diversified growth – agriculture and food processing are strong, while services are efficient and industry is competitive,” says Garachon.

The ambassador also sees Thailand a “natural hub” for the region, believing that much can be done to bolster commerce such as opening more border points to trade, and developing railway links with neighbouring countries.
“A deep collaboration with Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam would be in the interests of the entire region, not only Thailand,” says Garachon. “For us, this is a very dynamic region and Thailand is at its core, playing the role of the leader in Southeast Asia. That’s why we want to increase our relations with Thailand.”

The French Embassy organises several events to stimulate trade between the two countries, including ‘Invest in France’ in October. Held jointly with the Joint Standing Committee of Thailand and the Franco-Thai Chamber of Commerce, participants will discuss business opportunities between the two countries.

“As the French ambassador, I want to create positive communication between both countries to work more closely together,” he says. “We’re already present here, but there is still plenty of room to do much better.”

Words by Pimsirinuch Borsub