The Prime Minister opened the ABAC meeting highlighting public-private collaboration to drive trade, investment, and strong supply chains, promoting Thailand FastPass to reduce business obstacles and build a connected Asia-Pacific economy.
On 7 July 2026 at the Grand Riverside Ballroom (Moon & Galaxy), 10th floor, Avani Plus Riverside Hotel, Charoen Nakhon Road, Thonburi, Bangkok, Ms. Lalida Pertwiwatana, Deputy Spokesperson of the Prime Minister's Office, announced that Prime Minister and Interior Minister Anutin Charnvirakul chaired and opened the 3rd ABAC meeting of 2026.
The Prime Minister welcomed participants from APEC member economies to Bangkok, noting that each ABAC meeting generates valuable policy recommendations often adopted into regional policies. He said ABAC is a crucial APEC mechanism that truly reflects business realities into government policymaking.
He stated that businesses best understand which measures are practical, so the government prioritizes hearing the private sector's views. In recent months, the government has continuously invited top executives and business leaders to discuss at the Government House, simply asking, “What obstacles make investment, business expansion, or job creation harder?” Often, the answer is not more incentives but reducing unnecessary steps and barriers.
The current business environment is increasingly complex, while geopolitical uncertainties continue to affect business decisions. These challenges cannot be solved by the government alone, nor can businesses fully operate without an investment-friendly environment. Therefore, public-private cooperation is key to sustainable growth.
One key government policy is making Thailand a destination for quality investment by promoting the Thailand FastPass project to facilitate investors, cut redundant procedures, enhance coordination among government agencies, and enable quality investments to proceed faster, transparently, and predictably.
At the regional level, strong supply chains require trust, clear and transparent regulations, efficient logistics, and cooperation among economic zones to keep markets open even amid challenges. There is a need to jointly strengthen the region’s supply chains to be more connected, diverse, and resilient.
The government supports establishing quality Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) because long-term investment requires confidence built on clear rules, fair competition, and easier market access. FTAs are not just legal documents but mechanisms that boost business confidence in deciding where to invest, produce, or expand operations.
In conclusion, the Prime Minister said APEC’s strength lies in linking government policies with real business experience, which is now more important than ever. He emphasized the value of private sector feedback, the government’s commitment to listen continuously, and anticipation for ABAC’s recommendations, pledging to translate them into concrete actions to foster an investment-friendly environment, trade growth, and improved quality of life sustainably throughout the Asia-Pacific region.