On May 5, 2026, the Armenian-Thai Chamber of Commerce participated alongside the Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce in Thailand (JFCCT) in a high-level courtesy visit to His Excellency Mr. Sihasak Phuangketkeow, Minister of Foreign Affairs, at the Vithes Samosorn Hall.
Minister’s Opening: Regional Diplomacy and Stability
The meeting commenced with opening remarks from His Excellency Minister Sihasak, who provided a warm welcome and a briefing on his important diplomatic missions. He focused on regional diplomacy and the navigation of geopolitical upheavals, emphasizing peace and the importance of supply chain and logistic route stability. He also presented a timeline of recent developments in Thailand, and how regional challenges are bearing a direct impact on Thailand in terms of relations, development and cooperation.
Following the Minister’s briefing, JFCCT Chair Vibeke Lyssand Leirvag took the floor to present the JFCCT’s mission as an important driver of the foreign business community in Thailand. She introduced the working team and allowed each delegate to present themselves, representing the collective interests of all Chambers on behalf of their respective member companies. The topics presented, including competitiveness, digital governance, sustainability, building the future workforce, empowering SMEs, and fast track regulatory reform, are part of the JFCCT’s ongoing advocacy, which are regularly reviewed by dedicated working groups to ensure progress. This structured approach ensures that the priorities of the foreign business community remain consistent and bridged with government structures.
Presentations from the JFCCT Working Group
1. Competitiveness by Vibeke Lyssand Leirvag, Chairwoman of JFCCT
The Chair addressed Thailand’s global standing, specifically CPI rankings, the ease of doing business, and ethical considerations. She emphasized the need for a Freer Flow of Talent especially in domains where there’s fast transformation, urging the government to facilitate the entry of international experts to assist in sectors undergoing rapid transformation.
2. Digital Governance and ICT by Bob Fox, Chair of Digital Governance Committee
Bob Fox presented on the imperative for public service digital governance readiness, advocating for regulatory reform and the harmonization of requirements between labor, commerce, and immigration department regulation on work permits and visas.
3. Holistic and Cohesive Sustainability By Bob Fox, Vice Chair of SDC
Sustainability was framed as a holistic requirement for all business operations. The JFCCT stressed the evolving agenda of Thailand Net Zero, Green Finance, and climate change support, ensuring legislation is backed by practical funding for SMEs. Regarding the Clean Air Bill, Bob Fox highlighted its impact on public health, productivity, and competitiveness, noting that compliance is a priority for business acceleration. The Minister noted that a new, more “implementable” in his words: draft of the bill is underway.
4. Future Force and Industry 5.0 Mr. Ravi Sehgal, Vice Chair of JFCCT
Mr. Ravi Sehgal, Vice Chair of JFCCT, focused on Industry 5.0 and the “future skills and capabilities of our workforce in Thailand.” He emphasized upgrading skills and capacities through “train-the-trainer” levers to ensure the workforce remains competitive.
5. SME Empowerment Dr. Nimnual Piewthongngam, Chair of SME Committee
Dr. Nimnual Piewthongngam described SMEs as the engine of the economy (contributing more than 30% to the GDP). She called for more support in market access, ease of finance, and trade facilitation. She emphasized that soft loans, green funding, and upskilling are vital aids for SMEs.
6. Fast-Track Regulatory Reform Dr. Supareak Charlie Chomchan, Vice Chair of JFCCT
Dr. Charlie Chomchan advocated for regulatory reform to boost the economy, focusing on fast-track work permits, service liberalization, he emphasized that flawless and seamless licensing clarity is essential for the business push and economic growth and the upgrading of the Foreign Business Act.
Connecting Domestic Efficiency to Diplomatic Strength
As the dialogue concluded, His Excellency Minister Sihasak reflected on the business-oriented nature of the topics, while these issues are technical and elated to business, commerce or regulatory domains, he remarked that discussing them on behalf of MFA is important and that in his own words “foreign policy begins at home,” noting that they are deeply pertinent to the Ministry’s mission. He stressed that Thailand’s international standing relies on the strength and organization of its domestic business environment and the foreign business community and foreign direct investments are important components of the business landscape of Thailand.
The Minister pledged his commitment to addressing these concerns through continued dialogue for the benefit of the 8,000 companies representing the JFCCT. Finally, Chair Vibeke invited the Minister to the upcoming JFCCT – Prime Minister Anutin’s Luncheon address on Thursday, 4th June 2026.
