[{"bbox": [96, 152, 1164, 207], "category": "Text", "text": "**The Overall Objective (Impact)** of this action is to strengthen the EU-Thailand partnership and cooperation for sustainable and inclusive development for all."}, {"bbox": [96, 231, 636, 259], "category": "Text", "text": "**The Specific Objectives (Outcomes)** of this action are to:"}, {"bbox": [96, 259, 783, 285], "category": "Text", "text": "1. Enhance the effectiveness of the dialogue between the EU and Thailand."}, {"bbox": [96, 285, 1164, 339], "category": "Text", "text": "2. More closely align the interests, principles, policies and values of the EU and Thailand, including on human rights and gender equality, focussing on the 2030 Agenda, the Sustainable Development Goals and the Global Gateway;"}, {"bbox": [96, 339, 916, 366], "category": "Text", "text": "3. Increase the approval of the EU and of its role in the country, the region and the world."}, {"bbox": [96, 391, 1164, 472], "category": "Text", "text": "The key assumption is that the implementation of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) and the resumed negotiations for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) will provide the main framework and impetus for engagement, as well as the external dimension of EU internal policies that may affect Thailand in the years to come."}, {"bbox": [85, 498, 323, 532], "category": "Section-header", "text": "# 2 RATIONALE"}, {"bbox": [85, 564, 235, 593], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 2.1 Context"}, {"bbox": [96, 610, 1164, 877], "category": "Text", "text": "Thailand, an upper middle-income country, has a difficult contemporary political history punctuated by military coups—the latest having occurred in May 2014. The general election that took place in May 2023 saw the overwhelming victory of two opposition parties, with the former opposition and second-runner Pheu Thai Party eventually forming a coalition with conservative parties from the previous pro-military government. Thailand's economy is the second largest in ASEAN. According to the human development index, Thailand has a “very high human development”, and a Gender Inequality Index (GII) value of 0.310, ranking it 74 out of 166 countries in the 2022 Index. Nevertheless, several challenges persist in achieving gender equality and ensuring women's rights. Furthermore, people living in marginalised situations (i.e. youth, people with disabilities, indigenous people, LGBTI persons, etc.) continue to face inequalities or vulnerabilities, and significant regional disparities exist. In the deep south of Thailand, a protracted crisis and low-intensity conflict has been ongoing for many years."}, {"bbox": [96, 902, 1164, 1143], "category": "Text", "text": "Thailand has been falling behind several other countries that have achieved high-income status and has been trapped among the ranks of upper middle-income countries for a long time, despite its success in maintaining economic stability. As a tourism and manufacturing hub, Thailand was particularly impacted by the pandemic. The recovery has been slower than in other major ASEAN economies and growth continues to diverge from ASEAN peers. The 13th National Economic and Social Development Plan (2023-2027) recognises that Thailand needs to increase investment by no less than 600 billion baht to escape from the middle-income trap, as well as urgently use the surplus from its economic expansion to reduce inequalities through investments in transport infrastructure to connect with neighbouring countries, economic decentralisation from Bangkok to regions throughout the country, and an increased private sector role in services."}, {"bbox": [96, 1167, 1164, 1459], "category": "Text", "text": "EU-Thailand relations have taken off in recent years, after the post 2014 coup freeze. The signature of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) in December 2022 is an important milestone. In March 2023, the EU and Thailand announced the relaunch of negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA) and three rounds of negotiations have taken place since. Thailand's renewed strive to green its economy might open up spaces for dialogue and cooperation on climate change and the environment. Thailand's candidacy to the Human Rights Council 2025-2027 creates a window of opportunity to engage, particularly supporting the implementation of the Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearances Act B.E. 2565 (2022). Thailand's interest to join the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) can spur cooperation on economic governance. Thailand is part of two Global Gateway flagship projects, the Laos Road (financed by the Laos envelope), and a Poland-led initiative: the upgrading of the critical infrastructure of Thailand's main energy operator, the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT)."}, {"bbox": [96, 1485, 1164, 1647], "category": "Text", "text": "The Multiannual Indicative Programme (MIP) for Thailand 2021-2027 is limited to a Cooperation Facility designed to enhance the EU-Thailand partnership. The intervention strategy is geared towards supporting the PCA implementation and the FTA negotiations, as well as supporting other policy areas relevant to EU-Thailand relations. For the implementation of the action plan for 2021-2023, an amount of EUR 12 million has already been committed to a single action (the EU-Thailand Cooperation Facility, ACT-60435). The proposed action is a continuation and replenishment of the facility to support the EU-Thailand partnership until the end of the current MIP and during the"}, {"bbox": [1034, 1679, 1145, 1706], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 4 of 17"}]