Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul will undertake a five-day regional tour from August 17-22, 2026, visiting Australia and New Zealand to elevate bilateral relationships to strategic partnerships and expand trade and investment opportunities. The delegation will include 14 leading Thai private sector companies representing major industries across beverages, energy, retail, and manufacturing.
The Australian leg of the visit, scheduled for August 17-20, 2026, represents the first official visit by a Thai Prime Minister in 14 years. The trip aims to strengthen the strategic partnership between the two nations and lay groundwork for commemorating the 75th anniversary of Thai-Australian diplomatic relations in 2027. During his time in Sydney and Canberra, Prime Minister Anutin will meet with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to sign bilateral agreements and will address the Lowy Institute. The itinerary also includes visits to technology company Canva and research organization CSIRO, as well as engagements with the Thai community in Thai Town and at Wat Dhammadharo.
The New Zealand portion of the visit, from August 20-22, 2026, marks the first official visit by a Thai Prime Minister in 13 years. The trip will commemorate the 70th anniversary of Thai-New Zealand diplomatic relations and culminate in the signing of a joint declaration to elevate the relationship to strategic partnership status. Prime Minister Anutin will meet with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and will witness the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the two countries. Discussions will focus on expanding trade and investment, enhancing crime prevention cooperation, and developing tourism initiatives, with particular emphasis on establishing direct flight services between Bangkok and Auckland.
The accompanying Thai business delegation comprises 14 major companies, including Thai Beverage, Gulf, Minor Group, B. Grimm Power, Mitr Phol Group, Banpu, PTT, Central Group, CPF, and SCG. These companies will participate in business networking events and seek to expand their trade and investment footprint across both countries.