Politic - สถานเอกอัครราชทูต ณ กรุงลอนดอน

วันที่นำเข้าข้อมูล 23 Jan 2024

วันที่ปรับปรุงข้อมูล 18 Aug 2026

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Thailand and the United Kingdom enjoy longstanding ties of over 400 The English East India Company first arrived in Siam in 1612, during the reign of King Songtham of Ayutthaya and King James I.
The diplomatic relations between Thailand and the United Kingdom were established in 1855, as a result of the Treaty of Amity and Commerce between the British Empire and the Kingdom of Siam. The said Treaty, also known as the Bowring Treaty, was signed in Bangkok on 18 April 1855, during the reign of King Mongkut (King Rama IV) and Queen Victoria.
The United Kingdom established a consulate in Siam in The following year, on 19 November 1857, Phraya Montri Suriyawong, considered Thailand’s first ambassador to the United Kingdom, was granted an audience by Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle to present a letter and gifts from King Mongkut to the Queen. From the mid-1880s until 1964, the Royal Thai Embassy occupied 21-23 Ashburn Place. It subsequently moved to 29-30 Queen’s Gate, where it remains today.
The bilateral relations between the two countries have always been close and cordial, with cooperation expanding in all dimensions. There have also been regular exchanges of visits between the two sides at all levels, including that of the royal families.
In 2024, Thailand and the United Kingdom's bilateral relations have been elevated to a strategic partnership. In March 2024, H.E. Mr. Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, and the Right Honourable Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Affairs of the United Kingdom, signed the UK-Thailand Strategic Partnership Roadmap during the latter’s visit to Thailand. The partnership aims to strengthen the relationship and cooperation of the two countries at bilateral, regional and multilateral levels in all areas including political, security, trade and investment, agriculture, climate and energy, science and technology, health and people-to-people links.
Thailand and the United Kingdom celebrated the 170th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2025. Throughout the year, both sides organised a wide range of commemorative activities, including the organisation by the Royal Thai Embassy in London of a reception to mark the anniversary of diplomatic relations; the photo exhibition “Siam through the Lens of John Thomson”; the publication of a commemorative book; and the Thai textile exhibition “Chud Thai through the Ages: Weaving History, Craft, and Identity.” Her Royal Highness Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana Rajakanya graciously presided over the opening of the exhibition and presented royal attire, including traditional Thai national costumes and various Thai textile ensembles of her own design. The British Embassy Bangkok also organised a commemorative concert performed by His Majesty King Charles III’s Royal Marines Band in June 2025 at Vajiravudh College, which was graciously attended by Their Majesties the King and the Queen of Thailand.
At present, the ‘Thailand-United Kingdom Strategic Dialogue’ serves as the main high-level forum for regular consultations between the two sides on areas of bilateral collaboration as well as on regional and global issues of mutual interest. Meeting at the level of Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, the inaugural session of the Strategic Dialogue took place on 20 May 2013 in Bangkok. The most recent meeting--the Sixth Strategic Dialogue--was held on 25 May 2026, co-chaired by H.E. Mr. Vijavat Isarabhakdi, Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, and The Honourable Seema Malhotra, Minister for the Indo-Pacific of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office of the United Kingdom. The Thai-United Kingdom Parliamentary Friendship Group has also been set up as a mechanism to promote parliamentary ties.
Thailand and the United Kingdom have developed close defence and security ties, with cooperation covering wide-ranging areas including defence procurement, military education and training. Both sides have worked together on traditional and maritime security as well as non-traditional security, such as cyber security and humanitarian assistance. The two sides also conduct joint military exercises called 'Panther Gold’ as well as take part in 'Cobra Gold.' The latter is the largest multi-national military exercise in the region held annually in Thailand. In 2022, both sides signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Defence Cooperation, which serves as an important framework for further joint exercises, regular bilateral talks and sharing best practice.
In addition to bilateral cooperation, Thailand and the United Kingdom also cooperate at the regional level through ASEAN, following the United Kingdom’s accession as an ASEAN Dialogue Partner in 2021. ASEAN and the United Kingdom endorsed the ASEAN-UK Plan of Action (PoA) 2022-2026 at the ASEAN-UK Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in August 2022, which serves as a framework for guiding cooperation between the two sides. Subsequently, in 2023, the United Kingdom announced programmes to implement cooperation with ASEAN under the PoA in five priority areas: (1) support for economic integration; (2) climate change; (3) public health, particularly capacity-building in the surveillance, prevention, and treatment of communicable diseases; (4) the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda; and (5) education for women and girls. This year, ASEAN and the United Kingdom celebrate the fifth anniversary of their partnership. Thailand will assume the role of Country Coordinator for ASEAN–UK Dialogue Relations in 2027. The United Kingdom has been admitted as the 28^th participant of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) at the 33^rd ARF meeting in Manila, the Republic of the Philippines in July 2026. In London, the Royal Thai Embassy is the coordinator-chair of the ASEAN London Committee (ALC) for July-December 2026.