UK Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Boris Johnson has expressed confidence in the kingdom's reform process and return to democracy, deputy government spokesman Werachon Sukondhapatipak said Monday.
Mr Johnson, on an official visit to Thailand, met Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha at Government House yesterday.
Gen Prayut praised Britain for 400 years of bilateral ties as both sides agreed to strengthen their relationship and promote more collaboration in the aerospace industry, science and technology, education and tourism, Lt Gen Werachon said.
Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai said there had been no discussion on the whereabouts of fugitive former premier Yingluck Shinawatra but that the Rohingya refugee crisis was included on the agenda.
The premier hoped UK businesses would invest in Thailand and its Eastern Economic Corridor scheme as Thailand can be a hub linking to Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam as well as other Asean countries, said Lt Gen Werachon.
Meanwhile, Mr Johnson highlighted the Global Britain policy that allows the UK to do business more freely than under the EU framework.
The minister's visit was the first from the UK since the EU's Foreign Affairs Council's decision to resume political contacts at all levels late last year.
Mr Johnson yesterday also met the director-general of Thai Customs Kulit Sombatsiri, who showed him a variety of large elephant tusks and pangolin scales that were seized last year.
"We truly appreciate Thailand's efforts to uphold the London Declaration in mitigating the illegal trade of endangered wildlife," the UK foreign secretary said.
"What you're doing is also important for people in Africa. People who are smuggling ivory from Africa are also involved in all sorts of crime. It's a major criminal enterprise," he added.
The majority of illegal wildlife products originate in Africa, which smugglers will often transit via Asean countries to sell the products in China. Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and China are all key destination countries for the illegal wildlife trade, it said.
Thailand is among 46 countries that signed a declaration at the London Conference on the Illegal Wildlife Trade. This calls for better enforcement of laws against poaching, thus cutting demand for wildlife products, and the "sustainable utilisation" of wildlife.