Thailand ready to join efforts to boost int’l economic cooperation

Thailand's Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha delivers a speech during the International Conference on the Future of Asia via a video teleconference at Government House. (Photo: Thailand's Government House)

Bangkok (VNA) – Thailand stands ready to join efforts to enhance regional and global economic cooperation in a post-COVID-19 world, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha told the International Conference on the Future of Asia, which was held in the form of video conference on May 20.

He was delivering his speech on “Shaping the Post-COVID Era: Asia’s Role in the Global Recovery”.

He said the COVID-19 outbreak has prompted several countries to fix their weaknesses to get back on their feet, to re-emerge from the pandemic with strength and as quickly as possible.

Countries working together in search of new possibilities and multilateral cooperation is key to turning the crisis into an opportunity and boost the region's capacity to revive itself, Prayut said.

He revealed that Thailand is being urged to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and the government is ready to consider making the move.

He said multilateral cooperation through international and regional frameworks such as ASEAN, the CPTPP and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) trade pact has played a key role in a comprehensive recovery.

Thailand will host an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting next year, and will initiate talks on the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific plan.

Prayut said his country hopes to receive support to achieve strong, balanced, stable, sustainable and comprehensive growth in the long term, he said.

Thailand will also expand trade and investment ties with Japan, in addition to relations under the Japan-Thailand Economic Partnership Agreement and the ASEAN-Japan Agreement on Comprehensive Economic Partnership, he added.

He expressed his confidence that Asia will be able to play a leading role in the global economic recovery with a more vigorous, flexible and sustainable growth, particularly, a strategic partnership between Thailand and Japan is vital beginning for a comprehensive recovery.

He stressed that Japan has played an important role in the Thai economy for a long time, and Thailand has committed to improving business climate for foreign investors./.

VNA