Thailand’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Maris Sangiampongsa arrived in Stockholm this week for the first ministerial-level Thai visit to Sweden in seven years. The trip reflects a growing momentum in Thai–Swedish relations, with both sides signing a Strategic Partnership agreement designed to boost cooperation in areas ranging from green innovation to defense industry collaboration.
Maris met with his Swedish counterpart, Minister of Foreign Affairs Maria Malmer Stenergard, as well as private-sector and academic representatives to showcase Thailand’s economic potential. He also highlighted Thailand’s commitment to clean energy, the green transition, and innovation, while acknowledging the contributions of more than 60,000 Thai nationals living and working in Sweden.
Sweden is a country that values human rights, Maris said, as he reaffirmed that Thai military operations are conducted strictly in self-defense under Article 51 of the UN Charter, referencing recent tensions along the Thai-Cambodian border.
Mutual defense and diplomacy
Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand
The centerpiece of the visit was the signing of a long-anticipated government-to-government deal for the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) to acquire four next-generation Saab Gripen E/F fighter jets. RTAF Commander Air Chief Marshal Panpakdee Pattanakul signed the deal in Stockholm with Micael Johansson, President and CEO of Swedish aerospace and defense company Saab AB. The deal was witnessed by Maris and Sweden’s Defense Minister Pål Jonson.
The THB19.5 billion (US$600 million) procurement, known as the “Peace Burapha” project, will replace decommissioned F-16 fighter jets at Wing 1 in Nakhon Ratchasima. Though the overall size of the air fleet will shrink, Panpakdee emphasized that the Gripens’ advanced technology and efficiency will result in a stronger, more capable force.
The initial phase is for four fighter jets, but the entire three-phase plan will deliver two aircrafts per year beginning 2019 until Thailand receives a full squadron of 12 fighters. The acquisition also includes offset agreements with Sweden’s Defence Materiel Administration and Saab, paving the way for technology transfer, investments in Thai aviation and cyber sectors, and skilled job creation in Thailand.
A cultural and symbolic dimension
Original pattern, “Mae Yanang Gripen” created by a Surin-based designer out of Mudmee silk and fashioned into traditional Thai dress. Source: Ministry of Defense Spokesperson Office Facebook Page
Notably, the Gripen has even taken on cultural resonance in Thailand. A Thai fashion designer from Surin province recently created a silk pattern named “Mae Yanang Gripen,” weaving the fighter jet motif into traditional Thai textiles as a symbol of strength and sovereignty. Praised by the RTAF and Thai Ministry of Defense alike, the initiative embodies how technology, national identity, and artistry can converge.
As Thailand modernizes its fleet while simultaneously deepening ties with Sweden, the Gripen stands as both a practical defense investment and a cultural emblem — a fitting capstone to a visit that blended diplomacy, security, and style.
Teerin Julsawad