Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin introduced a new "proactive" foreign affairs policy on Tuesday that will see Thai envoys playing a pivotal role in promoting trade, investment, tourism, and soft power abroad.
Mr Srettha was speaking at an annual gathering at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thai ambassadors, consul-generals, commerce attaches, and investment promotion officers with Thai embassies, where he outlined his "Proactive Diplomacy" policy.
Government spokesman Chai Wacharonke recapped the PM's speech, saying proactive diplomacy refers to concrete diplomatic practices that spur the country's economy and protect the public interest.
Mr Chai said the envoys at the gathering are core members of the so-called Team Thailand, whose primary responsibility is to support the government's efforts to promote the country's economic growth.
Mr Srettha pointed to the need to begin implementing a proactive diplomacy policy while incorporating public and business expectations regarding foreign affairs matters, said Mr Chai.
Feedback from both the public and the business sector should be weighed up for constant improvement in the work of the country's envoys.
The PM asked the envoys to adopt a customer-centric approach, which the government also aims to do, said Mr Chai.
Mr Srettha proposed two frameworks to make the government more customer-centric.
The first concerns the work of promoting trade and investment by Thai economic attaches and the work of the government in implementing core policies designed to drive the country's economy, said Mr Chai.
An essential role of the government is to support the further improvement of Thailand's ease of doing business index and accelerate free trade agreement negotiations, he said.
Team Thailand, meanwhile, will coordinate joint work between the private and public sectors to achieve their shared goal of economic growth, he said, adding that the team will communicate with both foreign investors interested in investing in Thailand and Thai investors interested in investing overseas.
The second framework proposed by Mr Srettha concerns the work overseas that is aimed at protecting the good reputation and dignity of the Thai royal family, Thailand and its people, said Mr Chai.