PM heads to Manila for Asean talks

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha was due to leave for the 30th Asean Summit in Manila today to promote Asean centrality and urge member countries to forge regional resilience and increase trade between member nations.

“Asean members must be strong from within. We must move from depending on exports outside the bloc to boost economic growth, to supporting each other within the Asean community,” deputy government spokesman Werachon Sukondhapatipak said yesterday.

Asean members mostly export agricultural and light industrial products but they should innovate to develop their economies and create a stronger value chain, he said.

The government will support Thai SMEs and startups to raise their competitiveness to international standards, he said.

Gen Prayut will promote an economic philosophy of greater self-sufficiency and sustainable development while also advocating how older people can contribute in an era when more countries are seeing greying populations, Lt Gen Werachon added.

Thailand wants to see the 10 members of the bloc develop together with no country left behind, the deputy government spokesman said.

As Asean celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, the summit and related meetings are being hosted by the Philippines under the theme “Partnering for Change, Engaging the World”.

The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, as well as peace and security in the region, are expected to be among the main topics at the retreat.

Asean leaders are expected to discuss tensions on the Korean Peninsula while regional issues, including the framework for a Code of Conduct to help resolve escalating territorial disputes in the South China Sea, will be high on the agenda, according to earlier remarks by Suriya Chindawongse, deputy director-general of the department of Asean affairs.

Any violations of United Nations Security Council resolutions that threaten stability in the region would also be touched on, Mr Suriya said.

The Thai premier will attend the Asean Leaders Summit tomorrow, during which the “Asean Declaration on the Role of Civil Service as a Catalyst for Achieving the Asean Community Vision 2025” is expected to be signed.

He will also attend the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle Summit later in the day.