Singapore and Thailand on Friday (Nov 7) pledged deeper cooperation on rice trade and healthcare leadership during Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s official visit to Singapore.
Under the memorandum of cooperation on rice trade, Thailand is to support and facilitate the assured sale of rice on mutually agreed terms, upon request by the Singapore government, said the Republic’s Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment.
The deal reiterates both countries’ commitment to open, transparent and mutually beneficial trade in rice, and aims to expand this trade by avoiding unnecessary restrictive measures, noted the ministry’s factsheet.
Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, in a joint press conference with Anutin, noted that Singapore imports most of its food sources, and that Thailand is an agriculture-exporting nation.
“This is a win-win agreement which will ensure a stable supply of rice for Singapore, while opening up new market opportunities for Thai producers,” said PM Wong.
This is Singapore’s second rice trade pact with a trading partner, following last week’s memorandum of cooperation with Vietnam signed at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Economic Leaders’ Week in South Korea. Under that deal, Vietnam is to support the “unimpeded export of a mutually agreed quantity” of rice to Singapore.
A statement on the Thai government’s website announced that the kingdom will sell up to 100,000 tonnes of rice to Singapore at prevailing international market prices.
The deal will be in force for five years upon its signing, with a renewal option for successive five-year periods.
In 2024, Singapore imported 112,744 tonnes of rice from Thailand – about a quarter of its total rice imports – according to data from the World Integrated Trade Solution.
Source: Business Times
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<p>Time: November 2025<br /> By: WTO and International Trade Group, Legal Department – VCCI</p>
