Bilateral relations
Australia and Thailand have longstanding and deep connections. Formal diplomatic relations were established in 1952. On 13 November 2020, Leaders signed a Joint Declaration elevating the bilateral relationship to a Strategic Partnership. This built on the Agreement on Bilateral Cooperation, which entered into force in July 2005, and demonstrates our commitment to deepen cooperation across the breadth of the relationship. 2027 will mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations.
In August 2026, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul visited Australia as a Guest of Government, where he met with Prime Minister Albanese and participated in a range of business and community engagements. Leaders agreed to stronger cooperation between the two countries across trade, law enforcement, defence and innovation, including through a Joint Statement on Deepening Economic Engagement and a Joint Statement on Transnational Crime. Leaders also agreed to establish a biennial Defence Ministers' Meeting to further strengthen bilateral defence cooperation.
During Prime Minister Anutin's visit, Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sihasak Phuangketkeow signed the second Joint Plan of Action (2026–2029) which implements the Strategic Partnership.
Australia and Thailand cooperate in a broad range of areas of mutual interest, including trade and investment, defence, law enforcement, counter-terrorism, education, agriculture, migration, tourism, energy and climate change. Foreign Ministers' Meetings are held on a biennial basis. Senior Officials' Talks (SOTs) are held on a regular basis at multiple levels, including in a 2+2 format (DFAT and Defence). The bilateral relationship is supported by mutual membership of international and regional organisations.
Australia has unique connections with the Thai Royal Family. Their late Majesties King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit visited Australia in 1962 — the first reigning foreign monarchs to visit Australia. Then-Thai Crown Prince and current King, His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn, studied at secondary school and the Royal Military College in Australia, subsequently completing training with the Australian Army's Special Air Service Regiment in Perth.
Defence and security cooperation
Australia and Thailand have extensive and historic defence ties built over more than 70 years. Australia and Thailand conduct regular joint military exercises including the bilateral Thai Boomerang, Chapel Gold and Temple Jade exercises, and multilateral Talisman Sabre and Pitch Black exercises.
Thailand and Australia work closely to strengthen bilateral and regional cooperation to combat transnational crime. The AFP and the Royal Thai Police share a longstanding and highly constructive law enforcement partnership, underpinned by more than four decades of cooperation. Both governments jointly address transnational and organised crime. This includes through, Taskforce Storm (disruption of narcotics trafficking), Operation Firestorm (disruption of scam activity), and the Bali Process (disruption of people smuggling, human trafficking and related transnational crime). Thailand hosts the Regional Support Office for the Bali Process on People Smuggling, Trafficking in Persons and Related Transnational Crime. On 2 November 2022, Foreign Minister Penny Wong signed an MOU in support of Thailand's Center of Excellence for Countering Trafficking in Persons.
An annual Australia-Thailand Security Dialogue was first held in 2025.
Regional development programs
Thailand ceased accepting bilateral development assistance in 2003 and became a development assistance donor, with a focus on human capacity building and technical cooperation.
Australia continues to work with Thailand through our regional development programs, including the Mekong-Australia Partnership (MAP), Partnerships for Infrastructure (P4I), Partnerships for a Healthy Region, Southeast Asia and Australia Government-to-Government Partnerships (SEAG2G) and Regional Trade for Development (RT4D) initiatives, to address shared challenges including climate change, transnational crime, human trafficking, labour rights, health, renewable energy transition, quality infrastructure and economic resilience. We are also supporting Thailand's ambition to join the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
Australia also undertakes capacity building programs with Thailand through regional organisations such as ASEAN, APEC and IPEF. In 2019, Australia became a Joint Development Partner to the Thai-led Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS), to support development needs in the Mekong subregion.
Trade and investment
Australia and Thailand enjoy a substantial commercial relationship, underpinned by the Thailand-Australia Free Trade Agreement (TAFTA). Through Invested: Australia's Southeast Asia Economic Strategy to 2040, Australia is deepening its partnership with Thailand by supporting inclusive economic growth, digital transformation, energy transition, and sustainable development.
Two-way trade in goods and services was worth approximately $32.4 billion in 2025, making Thailand Australia's 4th largest trading partner among Southeast Asian countries and 11th largest overall. Since TAFTA's entry into force on 1 January 2005, our two-way trade has nearly tripled.
In 2024-25, Australia's key goods exports to Thailand included natural gas ($1.1 billion), crude petroleum ($700 million), and wheat ($600 million). Thailand's key exports to Australia in 2024-25 were goods vehicles ($6.5 billion), passenger motor vehicles ($3 billion) and heating and cooling equipment ($1.2 billion). Over 3,000 Australian companies export to Thailand and around 200 maintain an in-country presence. Thai investment in Australia was valued at $8.9 billion in 2024, concentrated in the renewable energy, agribusiness and hospitality sectors. Australian investment in Thailand was valued at approximately $3.8 billion in 2024.
To further promote trade and investment, and as a complement to TAFTA, in November 2022 Australia and Thailand signed a Strategic Economic Cooperation Arrangement (SECA) Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) [PDF 118 KB]. The SECA was renewed in November 2025. Australia and Thailand worked together, in consultation with stakeholders, to develop an Implementation Agenda. In September 2024, then Assistant Trade Minister Tim Ayres co-chaired the inaugural Strategic Economic Dialogue (SED), established under SECA, with then Deputy Minister for Commerce, H.E. Mr Suchart Chomklin, in Bangkok. The SED alternates between ministerial-level and senior officials-level. The second SED was held in Canberra in March 2026.
There are three FTAs that business can use to trade with Thailand: the Thailand-Australia Free Trade Agreement; the Agreement Establishing the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area (AANZFTA), and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP).
Austrade can provide further information on doing business in Thailand.
People-to-people links
Our strong bilateral relations are reflected in extensive people-to-people links. Thailand is Australia's 6th most popular destination for tourism and business, with over 624,000 visitors recorded in 2025-26. Australia's Thai-born community is 83,800 people (2021 Census).
More than 160,000 Thai students have studied in Australia in the last 20 years. Since 2014, 49 New Colombo Plan (NCP) scholarships and more than 2,700 NCP mobility grants have been awarded for Australian undergraduates to undertake study, language training and internships in Thailand.
Australia was proud to play an important role in providing expertise and support to the Thai-led rescue effort of the Wild Boars junior soccer team in Tham Luang Nang Non Cave, Chiang Rai in July 2018. The operation was a remarkable demonstration of international cooperation and a symbol of unity in the region.