Thailand’s Strategic Edge: U.S. - APEC Business Coalition and the Future of Inclusive Global Investment

Jaebadiah Gardner and Prime Minister Paetongtarn APEC 2024

Lima, Peru — At the heart of the 31st APEC Economic Leaders’ Week in Lima a summit defined by the theme “Empower. Include. Grow.”

Thailand’s leadership stood at the intersection of policy, global capital, and innovation. On November 14, H.E. Ms. Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Prime Minister of Thailand, met with members of the U.S.–APEC Business Coalition, a network of major business associations including the U.S.-ASEAN Business Council, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and the National Center for APEC alongside H.E. Mr. Maris Sangiampongsa, Thailand’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, on the sidelines of the summit in Lima.

This engagement was more than diplomatic formality, it was a deliberate alignment of public policy and private sector ambition, signaling Thailand’s evolving role as a gateway for sustainable investment, advanced technology, and regional integration.

Driving Investment in Targeted Sectors

During the meeting, Prime Minister Paetongtarn laid out Thailand’s vision for long-term economic cooperation with U.S. enterprises; one grounded in economic diplomacy, proactive policy, and foreign investor confidence. She encouraged U.S. business leaders from global corporations including Apple, Google, Mastercard, Merck & Co., Organon, Pfizer, Visa, and Walmart to expand investments in high-potential sectors such as clean energy, the digital economy, and semiconductors — areas that are shaping the future of technology and infrastructure across Southeast Asia. (Thailand PRD)

This focus aligns with Thailand’s broader strategy to strengthen its enabling ecosystem for foreign investors — from streamlined regulatory frameworks to incentives that accelerate innovation. These efforts aren’t abstract; they reflect Thailand’s ongoing competitiveness in attracting global capital and in weaving itself deeper into the global supply chain. (Thailand PRD)

Confidence from Global Business Leaders

GardnerGlobal along with several other U.S. business leaders has expressed strong confidence in Thailand’s economic potential, noting enthusiastic interest in expanding operations and partnerships in the country. Key areas of attention included finance and banking, small and medium enterprise (SME) development, healthcare innovation, and continued growth within the digital economy. All sectors that are closely watched by investors for resilience and scale. (Thailand’s Minister of Foreign Affairs)

This positive reception reflects a growing narrative: nations that articulate clear, coordinated policy, invest in enabling infrastructure, and actively engage with global capital are the ones that win long-term partnership commitments.

H.E. Ms. Paetongtarn Shinawatra

Thailand’s Broader Vision on Integration & Sustainability

Beyond the bilateral engagement, Thailand reaffirmed its commitment to regional economic integration through initiatives like the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific (FTAAP) and a stronger digital infrastructure that supports both physical and digital connectivity. In speeches during the summit, Prime Minister Paetongtarn also emphasized inclusive economic growth, sustainable transitions toward renewable energy, and the importance of expanding opportunities for underserved populations — an approach that mirrors broader APEC priorities under the Bangkok Goals for a Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) Economy. (Thailand PRD)

This focus on inclusivity where economic growth is tied to innovation, environmental responsibility, and broad-based participation is increasingly central to how countries like Thailand define success on the global stage.

What This Means for GardnerGlobal and Global Real Estate Futures

Being present at these discussions and framing them through the lens of investment, regulatory clarity, and strategic collaboration is about understanding where capital flows, why it flows, and how policy frameworks shape that flow.

For GardnerGlobal, this moment underscores several key insights:

• Global markets are actively seeking long-term, aligned partners.

• Technology and sustainability are core drivers of economic leadership in the next decade.

• Thailand’s economic diplomacy mirrors the same forces reshaping real estate, infrastructure investment, and capital strategy worldwide.

We’re coming together understanding that tomorrow’s economic landscape is being shaped today, in rooms like these across public and private dialogues, cross-border investment strategies, and sustained collaborative engagement with global business leaders.

The Kingdom of Thailand