Thailand is positioning deeper cooperation between ASEAN and BRICS as an important opportunity to strengthen the voice of emerging and developing economies, expand practical economic partnerships and reinforce a more inclusive multilateral system.
Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sihasak Phuangketkeow has emphasised the potential for BRICS to complement ASEAN’s regional role, particularly as geopolitical tensions, economic fragmentation and global uncertainty increase the need for stronger cooperation among developing economies. Thailand became a BRICS partner country on 1 January 2025 and has since sought to deepen its participation in the grouping.
Building Bridges Between ASEAN and BRICS
Thailand has expressed its readiness to serve as a bridge between ASEAN and BRICS, creating stronger connections between two increasingly influential groupings.
This role could become particularly significant when Thailand assumes the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2028, when Bangkok intends to promote practical cooperation between ASEAN and BRICS that responds to the economic and development priorities of their populations.
Closer engagement could create opportunities across trade, investment, technology, connectivity, food security and sustainable development, while expanding ASEAN’s relationships with major emerging economies across Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America.
Regionalism, Resilience and Relevance
Thailand has highlighted three principles that it has championed within ASEAN — Regionalism, Resilience and Relevance — as potentially valuable approaches for strengthening BRICS and other multilateral groupings.
Regionalism emphasises the importance of countries working collectively to address challenges that increasingly transcend national borders.
Resilience has become particularly important as economies face disruptions ranging from geopolitical conflicts and supply-chain pressures to food and energy insecurity.
Relevance, meanwhile, requires regional institutions to deliver practical outcomes that directly benefit businesses and communities rather than focusing solely on diplomatic dialogue.
Together, these principles could provide a foundation for more results-oriented cooperation between ASEAN and BRICS.
Expanding the Voice of the Global South
Thailand also sees BRICS as an important platform for strengthening the participation of developing countries and the Global South in international decision-making.
During the 2026 BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi, Sihasak stressed the importance of ensuring that developing economies have meaningful representation in shaping global decisions and called for stronger cooperation within regional and multilateral frameworks.
For ASEAN, stronger engagement with BRICS could provide another avenue for communicating Southeast Asia’s interests on global issues while preserving ASEAN centrality and maintaining relationships with a wide range of international partners.
New Economic Opportunities Across Emerging Markets
The economic dimension of ASEAN–BRICS cooperation could be substantial.
Thailand is already pursuing stronger cooperation with BRICS countries in areas including agriculture, food security, transportation, logistics, investment, financial cooperation, information technology and telecommunications.
Closer institutional connections could create additional opportunities for ASEAN businesses seeking access to fast-growing markets while encouraging BRICS companies to increase investment throughout Southeast Asia.
Thailand has also highlighted Africa as an important area for expanded engagement through its Thailand–Africa Initiative, particularly in economic cooperation, technology and sustainable development.
This broader South–South connectivity could help diversify ASEAN’s trade and investment relationships while opening new markets for regional companies.
Strengthening Food and Energy Security
Recent global disruptions have demonstrated how geopolitical developments far beyond Southeast Asia can affect ASEAN through higher commodity prices, disrupted shipping routes and uncertainty surrounding energy and food supplies.
Thailand has consequently highlighted food and energy security as important areas where stronger international cooperation could deliver practical benefits.
BRICS includes several major agricultural producers, energy suppliers and large consumer markets. Greater cooperation with ASEAN could therefore contribute to more diversified supply relationships and stronger resilience against future external shocks.
Thailand and Russia, for example, have discussed expanding cooperation in trade, tourism, energy and food security, alongside coordination through ASEAN–Russia and BRICS frameworks.
Thailand Strengthens Its BRICS Engagement
Thailand’s involvement with BRICS has evolved significantly in recent years.
The country formally expressed its intention to pursue BRICS membership in 2024 before becoming a partner country at the beginning of 2025. Thailand has since continued exploring opportunities for deeper participation and has sought support for its interest in eventually becoming a full member.
At the same time, Bangkok has emphasised that engagement with BRICS can complement rather than replace its longstanding commitment to ASEAN and other multilateral frameworks.
This approach allows Thailand to expand its international partnerships while reinforcing ASEAN’s position at the centre of Southeast Asian regional cooperation.
Looking Ahead
The growing relationship between Thailand and BRICS could provide an important foundation for broader ASEAN–BRICS cooperation, particularly as emerging economies seek a greater role in shaping international economic and political institutions.
Thailand’s ambition to serve as a bridge between the two groupings could facilitate stronger cooperation in trade, investment, technology, connectivity, sustainable development, food security and energy resilience.
With Thailand preparing to assume the ASEAN Chairmanship in 2028, its expanding engagement with BRICS could gain even greater regional significance.
If translated into practical initiatives, stronger ASEAN–BRICS connectivity could create new economic opportunities, diversify international partnerships and strengthen the collective influence of emerging economies — while supporting ASEAN’s ambition to remain resilient, relevant and central within an increasingly multipolar global landscape.
