Minister of Foreign Trade of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Commerce Supajee Suthumpun, paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul on 8 October 2026 to report the successful conclusion of negotiations on the Thai-UAE Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).

Both sides expressed satisfaction about the success reached on 7 October, which marked a significant step in elevating economic relations between the two countries. Thailand and the UAE are expected to sign the CEPA in the first quarter of 2027.

The agreement will open up greater opportunities for Thailand to export Thai products and services to the UAE market. It will also further expand the Thai market to other countries in the Middle East, paving the way for adding value to Thailand’s trade and creating opportunities for Thai entrepreneurs in the future. 

On this occasion, the Prime Minister expressed his support for Thai-UAE cooperation in the fields of their common potential, particularly energy development, food security, and future industries. This would help enhance the competitiveness of the Thai industry and strengthen the country’s economic stability in the long run.

At the same time, the Prime Minister envisaged opportunities for the Thai private sector and is ready to encourage it to invest in the UAE. He reaffirmed that Thailand is committed to driving the CEPA for concrete results.

He pointed out that following the success of the Thai-UAE negotiations on the CEPA, Thailand was confident that it would successfully conclude negotiations on free trade agreements with other countries in the future.

The UAE Minister of Foreign Trade reaffirmed UAE’s partnership with Thailand in strengthening energy security and expressed commitment to expanding bilateral investment for sustainable growth and future economic drive. 

In 2025, the UAE ranked as Thailand’s eighth-largest trading partner worldwide and its largest in the Middle East, with bilateral trade reaching $21.26 billion. Thai exports totaled $4.50 billion, while imports stood at $16.76 billion, comprising mainly oil, natural gas, and gold.