Foreign affairs minister defends Thailand’s move to join BRICS
Thailand’s Foreign Affairs Minister Maris Sangiampongsa defended the nation’s decision to join BRICS, stating it aligns with national interests and will benefit the economy and international cooperation.
Addressing the Senate yesterday, March 10, Maris discussed the pros and cons of this association, emphasising its role in maintaining Thailand’s global presence alongside other developing nations to tackle geopolitical issues.
Maris highlighted the potential benefits of joining BRICS, particularly in advancing new technologies like artificial intelligence, cyber security, and energy security.
“Joining the BRICS partnership is appropriate as it is a large market with high potential and can create dynamism in developing countries like Thailand.”
He added that Thailand aims to promote multilateralism to ensure balanced interests among nations.
BRICS, a bloc of major emerging economies, includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, Egypt, and Ethiopia. Thailand joined as one of 13 new partner countries on January 1, after receiving an invitation from Russian President Vladimir Putin, when Russia chaired the bloc in 2024. Currently, Brazil holds the chairmanship.
Beyond BRICS, Thailand participates in other international cooperative frameworks, such as the US-led Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF), the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec).
Maris also mentioned the EU-Thailand Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) and ongoing free trade agreement negotiations with the European Union.
Following the BRICS invitation, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Department of Treaties and Legal Affairs consulted the Council of State to assess the legal implications.
The outcome determined that Thailand’s acceptance of the invitation did not equate to treaty participation, thus Parliamentary approval under Section 178 of the constitution was unnecessary, reported Bangkok Post.
In other news, earlier in January this year, the Port Authority of Thailand (PAT) and the City of Yokohama in Japan have formalised a letter of intent to enhance their port operations and infrastructure on the 10th anniversary of their partnership.
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