Thai Prime Minister and Defense Minister Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha attends the 36th ASEAN Summit via a teleconference (Source: www.pattayamail.com) Bangkok (VNA) – Thai PrimeMinister and Defence Minister Gen. Prayut Chan-o-cha attended the 36th ASEANSummit in the form of a teleconference together with leaders of the 10 ASEANmember states and ASEAN Secretary General.
Speaking at the event, the Prime Minister stated that the spread of COVID-19pandemic has transformed Thailand and the global community into the ‘newnormal’ way of life, while the world is also moving into a volatilegeopolitical phase which has impacted international security and stability.
ASEAN should cooperate to counter these trends by strengthening regionalism andthe spirit of giving and sharing, as well as preserving ASEAN Centrality in theregional architecture to avoid being forced to take sides, he said.
The PM took the opportunity to propose three paths for actions to advance ASEANin the post-COVID-19 era, including ‘More connected ASEAN’, ‘Stronger ASEAN’and ‘Better-immuned ASEAN’.
Regarding ‘More connected ASEAN’, Prayuturged member states to urgently make ASEAN truly connected by accelerating theimplementation of the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity (MPAC) 2025 andpromoting connectivity and green infrastructure development as to createseamless and sustainable ASEAN.
He also called on ASEAN to start considering shared paths in easing measuresthat have become obstacles to traveling in order to help restore businesses andpeople-to-people connectivity.
The second path is striving for a‘Stronger ASEAN’ by ‘building strength from within’ through advancing economicintegration and expediting the signing of RCEP within this year so that ASEANrecovers economically.
The Prime Minister also proposed promotion of investment in digitalinfrastructure as the digital economy is crucial key that will increase thevalue of ASEAN’s GDP. ASEAN must also build its strength on biodiversity byusing technology and innovation to produce high valued goods and services aswell as environmentally friendly, in line with “Business Model BCG”.
About the third one, ‘Better-immuned ASEAN’, Prayut called on ASEAN to preparefor volatilities and challenges that could arise in the future by creatinglong-term immunity.
He also emphasised that Thailand has applied the Sufficiency Economy Philosophywhich stresses building strength from foundation and taking moderation,reasonableness and good immunity into consideration, along with the sustainabledevelopment agenda. In addition, the COVID-19 crisis has clearly demonstratedthat ASEAN must uphold putting people at the center and gives importance tolooking after every group of the population, particularly vulnerable groupswhich include migrant workers.
In closing, the Thai Prime Minister and other ASEAN leaders adopted the “ASEANLeaders’ Vision Statement on a Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN” and expressedThailand’s determination in intensifying ASEAN’s cooperation and solidarity,while seeking partnerships with external partners to be able to respond to allinternal and external challenges from now on in an effective manner.
Also the same day, at the ASESAN Leaders’ Special Session on “Women’s Empowermentin the Digital Age”, PM Prayut commended Vietnam for recognising the importanceof empowering women and designating “Women’s Empowerment in the Digital Age” aspart of the 36th ASEAN Summit and related meetings, which is also in accordancewith the Sustainable Development Goals, especially Goal 5 on “achieving genderequality and empowering all women and girls”.
Thailand stands ready to support ASEAN in empowering women sustainably whetherin economic, politic and social and ASEAN should prioritise issues such aspromoting financial access to empower women who own micro, small, and mediumenterprises (MSMEs), and promoting the role of women in the healthcaresector./.
Speaking at the event, the Prime Minister stated that the spread of COVID-19pandemic has transformed Thailand and the global community into the ‘newnormal’ way of life, while the world is also moving into a volatilegeopolitical phase which has impacted international security and stability.
ASEAN should cooperate to counter these trends by strengthening regionalism andthe spirit of giving and sharing, as well as preserving ASEAN Centrality in theregional architecture to avoid being forced to take sides, he said.
The PM took the opportunity to propose three paths for actions to advance ASEANin the post-COVID-19 era, including ‘More connected ASEAN’, ‘Stronger ASEAN’and ‘Better-immuned ASEAN’.
Regarding ‘More connected ASEAN’, Prayuturged member states to urgently make ASEAN truly connected by accelerating theimplementation of the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity (MPAC) 2025 andpromoting connectivity and green infrastructure development as to createseamless and sustainable ASEAN.
He also called on ASEAN to start considering shared paths in easing measuresthat have become obstacles to traveling in order to help restore businesses andpeople-to-people connectivity.
The second path is striving for a‘Stronger ASEAN’ by ‘building strength from within’ through advancing economicintegration and expediting the signing of RCEP within this year so that ASEANrecovers economically.
The Prime Minister also proposed promotion of investment in digitalinfrastructure as the digital economy is crucial key that will increase thevalue of ASEAN’s GDP. ASEAN must also build its strength on biodiversity byusing technology and innovation to produce high valued goods and services aswell as environmentally friendly, in line with “Business Model BCG”.
About the third one, ‘Better-immuned ASEAN’, Prayut called on ASEAN to preparefor volatilities and challenges that could arise in the future by creatinglong-term immunity.
He also emphasised that Thailand has applied the Sufficiency Economy Philosophywhich stresses building strength from foundation and taking moderation,reasonableness and good immunity into consideration, along with the sustainabledevelopment agenda. In addition, the COVID-19 crisis has clearly demonstratedthat ASEAN must uphold putting people at the center and gives importance tolooking after every group of the population, particularly vulnerable groupswhich include migrant workers.
In closing, the Thai Prime Minister and other ASEAN leaders adopted the “ASEANLeaders’ Vision Statement on a Cohesive and Responsive ASEAN” and expressedThailand’s determination in intensifying ASEAN’s cooperation and solidarity,while seeking partnerships with external partners to be able to respond to allinternal and external challenges from now on in an effective manner.
Also the same day, at the ASESAN Leaders’ Special Session on “Women’s Empowermentin the Digital Age”, PM Prayut commended Vietnam for recognising the importanceof empowering women and designating “Women’s Empowerment in the Digital Age” aspart of the 36th ASEAN Summit and related meetings, which is also in accordancewith the Sustainable Development Goals, especially Goal 5 on “achieving genderequality and empowering all women and girls”.
Thailand stands ready to support ASEAN in empowering women sustainably whetherin economic, politic and social and ASEAN should prioritise issues such aspromoting financial access to empower women who own micro, small, and mediumenterprises (MSMEs), and promoting the role of women in the healthcaresector./.
VNA
