Thailand has advanced on two diplomatic fronts this week, blending crisis management in the Gulf with economic messaging in Washington as the Kingdom seeks to protect trade flows and step up engagement as a more proactive regional player.
In Muscat, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow held talks with senior Omani officials focused on maritime security, energy cooperation, and defence ties.
At the center of the discussions was the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most strategically important shipping lanes. Thailand depends heavily on cargo routes through the channel for oil, gas, and fertilizer imports, as more than half of the nation’s energy imports pass through the waterway.
The deputy premier asked Oman to help facilitate safe passage for Thai vessels still awaiting transit, while praising Muscat’s neutral diplomatic posture in a volatile region.
Energy meets industry
Left: Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sihasak Phuangketkeow, Right: Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi, Source: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs / Facebook Account
The visit also provided a platform for commercial engagement, with Oman expressing interest in deeper defense cooperation with Thailand, including procurement linked to Thai-made landing craft vessels produced by Marsun Public Company Limited, in a sign of growing recognition of the country’s manufacturing capabilities beyond Asia.
On energy, Bangkok sought options for additional crude supply should markets tighten further. “They are ready to sell it to us as they may have the oil surplus around June,” Sihasak said.
The two sides also discussed longer-term collaboration in fertilizers, storage facilities, and emerging fuels such as green hydrogen, an area where Oman has been investing aggressively under its Oman Vision 2040 plan.
Washington growth pitch
Left: U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Right: Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas
Source: The Ministry of Finance / Facebook Account
While the foreign minister was in Muscat, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Ekniti Nitithanprapas was in Washington for the 2026 IMF-World Bank Spring Meetings, presenting Thailand as economically steady, even amid the global energy shock.
The finance minister told policymakers that Thailand remains on firm macroeconomic footing, citing strong foreign exchange reserves and a healthy balance of payments. He also argued that governments facing fiscal strain should favor targeted support for vulnerable households over blanket subsidies.
“Thailand is repositioning its policy focus — not just to support the present, but to invest in future growth,” he told delegates.
He also outlined Bangkok’s 4T framework of Targeted aid, Transition to clean energy, Transformation of the economy, and Together cooperation across sectors.
Bangkok’s balancing act
DPM Sihasak’s Attendance with His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik of the Sultanate of Oman
Source: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs / Facebook Account
Together, the twin ministerial missions signal how Thailand is moving quickly to navigate a harsher global landscape by securing fuel routes abroad while restructuring growth at home. They also come ahead of Bangkok hosting the IMF-World Bank Annual Meetings in October.
Under the theme “Thailand’s New Horizons: Empowering People, Building Resilience,” Thailand hopes the summit will diversify partnerships and convince investors that resilience is the Kingdom’s strongest export in an increasingly fragmented world order.
Teerin Julsawad