Prabowo Confident RI-Thailand Synergy Can Strengthen ASEAN Economy Through Key Commodities

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has affirmed his commitment to bringing the relationship between Indonesia and Thailand to a higher level.

The statement came during a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand, Anutin Charnvirakul, at the Merdeka Palace in Central Jakarta on Monday, 3 August 2026.

Prabowo said the two countries possess strong economic capital to expand strategic cooperation, including resolving various trade barriers that still remain.

Opening the meeting, Prabowo emphasised that Indonesia and Thailand have long enjoyed close and deep diplomatic ties. According to him, this foundation serves as an important asset for accelerating cooperation across various sectors.

“As you know, relations between Indonesia and Thailand have been established for a long time. We have a very good relationship. We may have several commercial issues that we want to resolve as quickly and as well as possible,” Prabowo said.

He said he hoped to build closer cooperation with PM Anutin and the Thai government in order to strengthen the strategic partnership that has long been in place.

“I hope to work closely with you and your government to further strengthen the long-standing partnership between Thailand and Indonesia,” he said.

Prabowo viewed Indonesia and Thailand as two of the major economic powers in the ASEAN region with great potential to complement one another. Beyond their large populations, the two countries also share a number of key commodities that could serve as the basis for strengthening economic cooperation.

“I think we both have strong economies as part of ASEAN. We have significant populations and, I believe, commodities we have in common. Rubber, tin, and many others,” he said.

With this potential, the President expressed optimism that Indonesia-Thailand bilateral relations can continue to grow across various fields, from trade and investment to other strategic sectors.

“So I am very optimistic that we can enhance our relationship in all areas,” Prabowo asserted.

On that occasion, the President also revealed his personal closeness with Thailand. According to him, the relationship built over many years serves as a positive asset for strengthening communication and cooperation between the two countries.