PM Anutin Meets U.S. Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby
On August 13, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul held talks with U.S. Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby at the Government House of Thailand, during the latter's first official visit to Thailand. The visit was part of a broader regional tour that also included the Philippines, Indonesia, and Cambodia. The two sides reaffirmed the 193-year Thai–U.S. alliance and agreed to deepen security cooperation, including by strengthening the ability to respond to modern security challenges, modernizing Thailand's armed forces, and expanding defense industry cooperation. Under Secretary Colby described Thailand as an important ally and emphasized that Washington places strategic importance on working with countries that share common principles for maintaining regional peace and security.
Prime Minister Anutin used the meeting to draw a line between the defense relationship and ongoing trade negotiations, stating that Thailand has no policy of linking defense cooperation to trade talks and that the two proceed through separate mechanisms. The Prime Minister reaffirmed Thailand's commitment to concluding an Agreement on Reciprocal Trade with the United States as soon as possible. The two also discussed law enforcement cooperation against transnational crime, following Prime Minister Anutin's July meeting with FBI Director Kash Patel, and the Thailand–Cambodia border situation, on which the Prime Minister thanked President Donald Trump for his role in easing tensions and reaffirmed Thailand's commitment to bilateral mechanisms, including implementation of the Kuala Lumpur Accords.
