Written by Jordan Laramore.
Image credit: Taiwan in Thailand/ Facebook.
Thai-Taiwan Relations Past and Present
Thailand switched diplomatic relations from the Republic of China (ROC) on Taiwan to the People’s Republic of China (PRC) in July 1975. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations with the PRC, Thailand has continued to maintain an unofficial diplomatic relationship with Taiwan. Ties between Thailand and Taiwan remained strong, and in a particularly notable event, former Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui visited the Thai King Bhumipol Adulyadej (Rama IX) at the Grand Palace in 1994. Though officially marketed as part of a week-long “vacation,” the trip to Thailand was part of a slew of visits by the Taiwanese leader in which he met with heads of state from Indonesia and the Philippines. Late King Rama IX had previously made a trip to Taiwan to meet officials, but that visit happened in 1963 when Taiwan was ruled under former President Chiang Kai-shek and when the kingdom still recognised the ROC.
Jumping forward into the latest century, though high-level political exchanges are now uncommon, Thailand and Taiwan continue to share a generous economic relationship. Trade between the two amounted to USD 19.4 billion in 2025, with Thailand ranked as Taiwan’s 11th largest trading partner. The relationship is particularly important given Taiwan’s dominance of the semiconductor manufacturing sector. For instance, Thailand is Southeast Asia’s hub for vehicle manufacturing. In 2024, the nation manufactured nearly 1.4 million vehicles, of which over a million were for export. For the sector to thrive, it needs a steady supply of semiconductors, which are increasingly important for the production of automobiles, particularly electric vehicles.
Bilateral economic relations go beyond semiconductors. 2024 saw the signing of an investment agreement between Thailand and Taiwan. This agreement updated a previous agreement from 1996 and seeks to, among other things, promote greater bilateral investment, improve regulatory transparency, protect indirect investments, and establish a joint investment committee to resolve investment disputes. This agreement is part of Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy (NSP), which is part of Taipei’s plan to reduce dependence on China and strengthen its economic, technological, and cultural ties with South and Southeast Asia, in addition to Australia and New Zealand. According to the Taiwan ASEAN Studies Centre, in 2025, Taiwan made 76 investments worth nearly USD 854 million in Thailand, while Thailand made 48 investments in Taiwan, totalling USD 10.36 million.
The relationship between the two also goes beyond the exchange of material goods. Taiwan is a significant destination for Thai nationals seeking employment and educational opportunities. As of the end of December 2025, over 81 thousand Thai nationals hold foreign residency in Taiwan, making Thais the fourth-largest foreign population. The largest immigrant group is Indonesians, followed by Vietnamese and Filipinos, in second and third place, respectively. Like other migrant communities, Thai migrant workers fill important roles in factories, construction, fishing, and as caregivers, areas where Taiwan faces a chronic shortage of local workers. However, Thai nationals are increasingly entering Taiwan’s white-collar workforce, many of whom were once international students at Taiwanese universities. As for Thailand, it was estimated that foreign and domestic companies employed 150 thousand Taiwanese in Thailand as of 2018.
Thailand and Taiwan also maintain robust people-to-people relations in the tourism sector. The nations offer visa-free access to each other’s citizens, and this arrangement has facilitated the ongoing growth of tourism between the two nations. In 2025, Taiwan saw over 400 thousand inbound visitors from Thailand, while Thailand welcomed over a million Taiwanese visitors. Cultural exchanges have also become an increasingly important aspect of Thai-Taiwan relations. For example, in collaboration with the US, Japan, the Philippines, and Thailand, Taiwan’s southern port city of Kaohsiung has started the Sunshine Island Vibe Fest. The festival, which first took place in 2025, serves as a way for the nations and the city of Kaohsiung to conduct cultural exchange and encourage city-to-city and people-to-people diplomacy.
After the announcement of a second Sunshine Island Vibe Fest in 2026, the head of labour affairs at the Thailand Trade and Economic Office in Kaohsiung, Nutchyawach Sanguanchaiyakrit, told media that more Thai brands will participate in the festival, allowing Kaohsiung residents to enjoy Thai cuisine and handmade crafts. Meanwhile, officials from Taipei have also participated in events with Thai officials, such as the Amazing Thailand Festival and the Taiwan Charity Run held in Taipei and Bangkok, respectively, in 2023.
China and Challenges
Despite the growing connections between Thailand and Taiwan, the relationship between them is fraught with challenges. For instance, Thailand and China have close economic ties and growing security ties. China is Thailand’s largest trading partner and a significant source of foreign investment. Sino-Thai trade amounted to over USD 125 billion in 2024 alone, with Thailand’s trade deficit exceeding USD 42 billion. Thailand is also a participant in China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Additionally, Thailand and China also have growing security ties. For instance, Thailand has purchased Chinese military equipment and has conducted joint exercises with the various branches of China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA). The growing ties between the PRC and Thailand create many opportunities for Thailand, but also generate tension within the relationship between Thailand and Taiwan.
Following a joint meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and the then Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra in February 2025, the two states issued a joint statement. Part of the statement included language that expressed support for China’s stance on Taiwan, stating, “Thailand firmly upholds the One-China Policy, recognising the Government of the People’s Republic of China as the sole legal government representing the whole of China and Taiwan as an inalienable part of China, and will not support any call for the independence of Taiwan.” The joint statement also included wording that Thailand supports China’s proposed “One Country, Two Systems” policy. In response, Taiwan’s foreign ministry issued a statement reiterating that Taiwan “is a sovereign and independent nation; that neither Taiwan nor the People’s Republic of China is subordinate to the other; and that the Chinese Communist Party regime has never governed Taiwan.”
The joint statement represents a source of tension in the potential growth of relations between Taiwan and Thailand. China has substantially more influence within Thai political and business circles. Influence translates to leverage over foreign policy, particularly in the context of Thai-Taiwan relations. In aggregate, Taiwan’s capacity to invest in Thailand is small when compared to China’s. Taiwan simply cannot match China dollar for dollar. However, Taiwan does not need to match China’s investment, and the government has used alternative approaches to expand cooperation. The hallmark of this is Taiwan’s “New Southbound Policy.”
Opportunities for Growth in Interactions
Thailand and Taiwan have many opportunities for cooperation, and these can be divided into two primary areas: economic and people-to-people. The Thai and Taiwanese economies have robust links, with these connections being the cornerstone of modern relations. Taiwan is keen to diversify its economy away from trade with China, and the NSP is the primary vessel for this diversification drive. Policy support from the NSP has boosted Taiwanese engagement in Thailand. The NSP, for its part, has supported the aforementioned economic ties, which have grown substantially since the policy’s announcement.
Beyond traditional investment, the nations have expanded ties in education, tourism, and health. Nearly five thousand Thai students studied in Taiwan in 2024, and tourism continues to grow. Meanwhile, health cooperation is deepening through recent health conferences and efforts to expand the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the healthcare industry. Both nations are known to have robust and affordable health services. The 2026 Health Care Index, which ranks locations by healthcare quality and efficiency, placed two cities from Taiwan and one city from Thailand in the top ten. In the same index, Thailand had an additional two cities in the top 50, further highlighting the potential for the two nations to expand healthcare cooperation to bring quality care to those in need of it.
Taiwan is also leaning into soft power engagements with Thailand. Importantly, Taiwan’s NSP has shifted more focus to people-to-people exchanges with the target nations, meaning soft power support is both state-supported and organic. As Thailand continues to oscillate between democracy and junta, civil society exchanges between the nations are one area that can contribute to growing ties. For example, Thai civic groups have launched an online course exploring Taiwan’s democratic movement and political transition to help activists reflect on challenges and examine possible paths for democratic reform in Thailand. Speaking at the Taipei International Book Exhibition, former Thai lawmaker Pita Limjaroenrat discussed the struggles of democracy in Thailand and the world more broadly. However, he noted that societies like Taiwan and Thailand share a culture of perseverance and should work together.
One can look to the “Milk Tea Alliance” that took off in 2020 during pro-democracy and anti-China protests across Thailand, Myanmar (Burma), and Hong Kong. The alliance sought to link young democracy activists across the nations as they fought against the real and perceived growth of autocracy in their respective homelands. Though Taiwan is not facing a domestic authoritarian challenge, the island has a history of fighting for freedom and is currently being pressured by the authoritarian regime in China. Taiwanese activists, in turn, offered support to activists in their fight for democracy.
Taiwan and Thailand have deep historical ties politically and economically, despite the lack of formal diplomatic ties. The continued growth of economic ties offers opportunities for Thailand to attract more foreign direct investment (FDI) to help drive the growth of the nation’s sluggish economy. Taiwanese investment can help Thailand expand production capacity and simultaneously move up in the global value chain. For Taiwan, trade with Thailand helps the island diversify its trade ties away from China, which serves both the economic and political objectives for Taipei. People-to-people exchanges continue to grow as reflected by the increase in tourism, the growth of international students, and the continued role of Thais in the Taiwanese workforce. Taiwan and Thailand often share complementary goals; therefore, companies, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and governments alike should consider and prioritise the further enhancement of engagement in all aspects of relations.
Jordan Laramore is an independent researcher based in Taiwan. He holds a Master’s in Asia-Pacific Affairs from Taiwan’s National Sun Yat-sen University and a bachelor’s in International Studies from the University of West Florida.