Thailand's newly appointed ambassador to ankara:hailand's newly appointed ambassador to Ankara, Chaturont Chaiyakam, said he hopes 2028 will mark the establishment of a strategic partnership between Thailand and Trkiye, identifying defense industry cooperation as a key priority. Chaiyakam, who began his posting after presenting his credentials to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Sept. 8, spoke to Anadolu about his impressions of Trkiye, his experiences in the country and bilateral relations.
According to Anadolu Agency, Chaiyakam first visited Trkiye 15 years ago to attend the third summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia, held in Istanbul. He said his exposure to the country had been limited until recently. After exploring Ankara, Chaiyakam said he was surprised by Trkiye's development, particularly in the automotive and electronics sectors. Although interaction between the Turkish and Thai peoples remains limited, he said the two countries are tourism destinations for each other.
Chaiyakam said he was excited to learn he would be posted to Trkiye, having visited the country only once before. He added that he was familiar with Ottoman history. The ambassador said he had not yet had an opportunity to learn Turkish. For now, he knows only the phrase "merhaba asker," which he heard while presenting his credentials to Erdogan. He said he was trying to learn about Turkish culture. "I tried to learn as much as possible. Because Trkiye is a big country, (there is) so much to learn. It's exciting," he said.
Chaiyakam said he particularly enjoyed kebabs and hummus among Turkish dishes. He also expressed surprise that access to Thai cuisine was limited in Trkiye. He said he had visited Cappadocia and Antalya so far, describing Cappadocia as a destination with significant potential. However, he noted that the number of visitors from Thailand remains low and that the region needs greater promotion.
Despite their different geographical locations, Thailand and Trkiye share cultural similarities, Chaiyakam said, recalling that he had seen the Turkish tradition of escorting a bride from her family home, which reminded him of a custom in Thailand. He explained that in Thailand, the bride is accompanied in a procession to the groom's home. "I saw this in Trkiye, and the wedding is full of fun, same as in Thailand. Your hospitality, your family values are also very similar to Thai people. Even the food sharing, that's also very unique for our culture," he said.
Diplomatic relations between Trkiye and Thailand were established in 1958, and the two countries will mark their 70th anniversary in 2028, Chaiyakam said. He noted that relations between the Thai and Turkish peoples, as well as trade, remain below their potential. "Trade volume is only around $2 billion, the two-way trade, annually. So I think there would be room for improvement," he said. Chaiyakam emphasized the need to expand two-way trade, adding that tourism also offers significant room for growth.
The ambassador said numerous programs and events could be organized in 2028 to mark the anniversary of diplomatic relations. "At the moment, we have a joint economic and trade commission meeting between ministers. But we want to upgrade it to foreign minister level, so the ministers can discuss a wide range of issues, political, economic, and other geopolitical issues or other cooperation," he said. Chaiyakam said he expected the joint commission to be established soon, possibly in early 2027, and that efforts were underway to arrange high-level visits between the two countries.
He also recalled that a decision was made on July 21 at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting to establish a Dialogue Partnership between Trkiye and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. He said high-level contacts could be organized both on that occasion and to mark the anniversary of Trkiye-Thailand diplomatic relations. Regarding Trkiye's designation as an ASEAN Dialogue Partner, Chaiyakam said: "For Thailand, I think it will give the impetus for both countries to strengthen the relationship." "We target that Thailand and Trkiye to be strategic partnership," he said.
Chaiyakam highlighted Istanbul Airport's position as a major aviation hub in Europe and said Thailand also serves as a hub on mainland Southeast Asia. He recalled that Turkish Airlines and Thai Airways had signed a strategic cooperation agreement. Thai Airways operates one or two flights a day to Istanbul, while Turkish Airlines operates at least four daily flights to Bangkok, he said. The ambassador said such initiatives could help the peoples of both countries become better acquainted and gain a deeper understanding of each other, adding that he would do his best to support these efforts.
Turning to defense industry cooperation, Chaiyakam said: "For the defense industry, that's also top on our agenda." He said Thailand would encourage visits by senior officials to meet with defense industry companies in Trkiye. "In November, we plan to have high-level (officials) from Navy of Thailand to come to Trkiye to look at various industries in Trkiye. And then I'm in talks with a few companies for a joint project," he said.