Govt commends Kofi Annan’s work for peace and security
Thailand has commended late former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan for his efforts to make the world a better place to live, and his advocacy of human rights — calling the late Annan “a good friend of Thailand”.
“The government and the people of the Kingdom of Thailand are deeply saddened to learn of the demise of Kofi Annan, former secretarygeneral of the United Nations and Nobel Peace Laureate,” the Foreign Ministry said yesterday.
“He strengthened the organisation’s work in the areas of development and the maintenance of international peace and security. He advocated human rights, the rule of law, and the universal values of equality, tolerance and human dignity as elaborated in the United Nations Charter,” it added.
Annan died at the age of 80 in Switzerland on Saturday after a short, unspecified illness.
He had visited the country on several occasions. Back in May 26, 2006, he presented the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej with the United Nations Development Programme’s first Human Development Lifetime Achievement Award, during an audience held at Klai Kangwon Palace in Hua Hin district, Prachuap Khiri Khan province.
The award was in recognition of the late King Bhumibol’s dedication to a sufficiency approach to development.
Annan praised the late King during the audience for his “extraordinary contribution to human development”.
“His Majesty’s ‘sufficiency economy’ philosophy — which placed emphasis on moderation, responsible consumption and resilience to external shocks — is of great relevance to communities everywhere during these times of rapid globalisation,” he said.
“The philosophy’s ‘middle path’ approach strongly reinforces the United Nations’ own advocacy of a people-centred and sustainable path toward human development,’’ he had added.
Former foreign minister Surakiart Sathirathai, who was chosen last year by Myanmar’s State Councillor Aung San Suu Kyi to head a 10-member board that will advise on how to implement the recommendations of an earlier commission headed by Annan, also expressed his condolences over the passing of Annan, who had also visited in 2012 and gave his advice on peace and reconciliation at the invitation of the Truth for Reconciliation Commission of Thailand.
“It was just on Nov 28 last year that I met [Annan] in Geneva, Switzerland. I received good points and advice that was useful for my work as the chief of the advisory board,” he wrote, before adding that he had submitted the last report for peace and development in Rakhine state to the Myanmar government on Aug 16, and was about to send the report to Annan.