On 14 July 2026, Mr. Jak Sangchai, Minister and Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) of the Royal Thai Embassy in Washington, D.C., along with DCMs from the Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam, participated as a panelist in the ASEAN 101 Panel Discussion for U.S. Congressional Staff titled “Digital Economy: Opportunities for U.S.-ASEAN Cooperation.” The event was organized by the U.S. Asia Institute (USAI) at the Rayburn House Office Building of the U.S. House of Representatives and attended by over 40 participants including staffers of the Senate and House of Representatives, USAI and embassies.

The Minister and DCM highlighted the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) as the world’s first region-wide digital economy agreement. It is expected to be signed at the upcoming ASEAN Summit in Manila in November 2026 and comes into effect in 2027. He noted that Thailand, as Chair of the ASEAN DEFA Negotiating Committee, played a leading role in advancing DEFA negotiations. DEFA will facilitate cross-border data flows, e-commerce, digital payments, cybersecurity cooperation, and emerging approaches to artificial intelligence governance across the region. It is projected to double ASEAN’s digital economy GDP in 2030, from a projected 1 trillion to 2 trillion USD.

The Minister and DCM also shared updates on Thailand’s ongoing accession process to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), underscoring the importance of digital transformation and regulatory modernization in supporting Thailand’s efforts to align with international standards and strengthen its long-term economic competitiveness. He emphasized that a more integrated ASEAN digital economy would further enhance the region’s attractiveness to U.S. businesses and investors, serving as a key driver of future U.S.-ASEAN economic relations. Such integration would expand opportunities for trade, investment, innovation and collaboration across one of the world’s fastest-growing digital markets.