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Thailand boosts its international profile

webfact

By webfact
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webfact Grand Master Member

webfact

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REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE

Thailand boosts its international profile

Kavi Chongkittavorn
The Nation 

 

BANGKOK: -- Following the nod from the public to the new draft constitution last month, Thailand’s regional and international profile has improved. For now, the country will spend the rest of the year fully engaged with global communities. It is also moving forward on a new path of consolidating its position in regional and international economic networks.

 

The relative calm currently prevailing on the home front is enabling Thai policymakers to look ahead and position the country to compete with other emerging economies.

At the G-20 Summit in Hangzhou, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha is attending for the first time as the G-77 chair - along with Laos PDR as the Asean chair.

As the host, China has made clear this summit should be inclusive because the health of global economies depends on the well-being of all economies, not only the rich ones. As such, Thailand can play a crucial role in linking the developed and developing countries. Since taking up the chair of the G-77, Thailand has been greatly sensitised to major issues confronting the G-77 members.

China has outlined several benchmarks in Hangzhou to further promote economic growth with innovation and better governance. It claims new ideas such as a universal framework for investment and financial innovation would help increase foreign direct investment and facilitate commerce throughout the world if complicated rules and red tape were eradicated.

One area where Thailand can fit nicely is the sustainable development agenda, both in the regional and international context. The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2030 have now become the focus points of the G-20. Within the region, the Asean Vision 2025 also contains similar elements outlined in the UNSDG's targets. Asean has already endorsed Thailand as a coordinator between Asean and the UN on sustainable development goals. Further synergy and coordination would strengthen the regional and international implementations of these UNSDGs.

Later this month, Asean foreign ministers will hold a special session back-to-back with their informal ministerial meetings in New York to discuss the SDGs on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Indeed, it is an opportune time as this year marks the beginning for Asean and the UN of their first year in implementing the 2025 vision and the UN 2030.

To prepare for its role, back in June Thailand hosted an "interface meeting" with the UN Economic and Social Cooperation in the Asia and Pacific (ESCAP) and the Asean Secretariat to identify common agendas.

At the Vientiane meeting in July, Asean mandated Thailand to explore the development of priority areas and a road map to promote complementarities between the Asean vision and UNSDGs. In addition, Thailand must also explore how community building and the implementation of SDGs can reinforce members for the peoples' benefit.

After Hangzhou, Thailand will pursue similar objectives at the 28th and 29th Asean summits in Vientiane this week. The notion that no one should be left behind has now become a mantra in formulating economic and social policies. Granted the rapid demography growth in East Asia, Thailand has been instrumental in pushing for comprehensive action plans to cope with the ageing population in Asean+3 countries (Japan, China and Korea).

A planned joint statement on active ageing in East Asia will show the region's leaders' commitment to jointly manage this challenge.

These similar themes will also be echoed in Prayut's speech at the UN General Assembly in New York later this month. Thailand has learned anew from being the G-77 chair both on issues and policies. The UN speech this year will be fresher with new ideas on implementation of sustainable development and ways to promote inclusiveness. Thailand will reiterate its independent foreign policy and outline its commitments to the UN and beyond.

If time permits in New York, Thailand's experience in dealing with refugees and illegal migration may be shared with other countries. The US President Barack Obama is hosting a Leaders' Summit for Global Refugees on September 20 to highlight the urgent need for the international community to come together to provide additional assistance, resettlements and capacity-building for global refugees.

Washington has already invited Prayut to share Thailand's lessons learned and good practices involving refugees. Bangkok's positive response would further ameliorate the Thai-US ties stalled since May 2014.

In October, there will be two other high-profile meetings in Bangkok. The first is the Second Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) summit on October 9-10. Since its establishment in 2002, the 34-nation grouping has been trying to mobilise members to network and implement their ideas and projects. The ACD is aimed at empowering Asian countries, using their rich experience and resources. In Bangkok, Nepal will be admitted as a new member. The ACD summit's theme is "Diverse Strength, One Asia".

So far, five of the Asean leaders have confirmed their participation, along with other heads of state from the Middle East and East Asia. Thailand is hopeful the summit will reboot the ACD with new spirit and cooperation. For the first time, the role of the private sector would be to incorporate with the overall ACD plans, especially in the utilisation of abundant Asian capital to strengthen financial infrastructure in the region.

In Bangkok, the ACD leaders will issue a joint statement on "Vision for Asia Cooperation 2030" with aspirations to build a broader Asian Community. The vision will outline programmes in six areas: connectivity; science and technology; human resource development and education; connectivity between food, water, and energy security; cultural and tourism and promotion of sustainable development.

Following hot on the heels of the ACD summit would be the Asean-EU Ministerial Meeting on October 13-14 — also an occasion to celebrate the 40th anniversary of their relationship.

In the beginning, the EU was recalcitrant to meet with Asean foreign ministers in Bangkok, fearing it would be seen as endorsing the Thai military government. Coincidentally, Thailand is currently the coordinator of Asean-EU relations - literally it is an Asean meeting, not Thailand's.

Of late, the EU has wanted to intensify overall engagement with Asean. Brussels has urged Asean to accord EU a strategic partnership as one of Asean's oldest dialogue partners, coupling with a future membership in the East Asia Summit. Currently, Asean has seven strategic partners: China, India, Japan, South Korea, the US, New Zealand and Australia.

The remaining 16-month transition period before the scheduled poll next November will continue to see Thailand remaining active in the international arena, fulfilling pledges as a bridge builder among the community of nations through sustainable development strategies.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/Thailand-boosts-its-international-profile-30294519.html

 
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-- © Copyright The Nation 2016-09-05
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jamesbrock Silver Member

jamesbrock

Posted
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34 minutes ago, webfact said:

If time permits in New York, Thailand's experience in dealing with refugees and illegal migration may be shared with other countries.

 

What a role model.

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gandalf12 Silver Member

gandalf12

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, jamesbrock said:

 

What a role model.

That list certainly is impressive, no doubt about that

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jamesbrock Silver Member

jamesbrock

Posted
Posted
8 minutes ago, hansnl said:

Maybe, just maybe, if one looks at the "impressive list", a common thing can be found.

Yes, indeed, the religion of peace.

In that case, things get much clearer.

A role model indeed, for the EU maybe?

 

 

Not sure what this list makes clearer, except that adherents of this religion—infinitesimally small proportion of violent extremists included—are often persecuted, marginalised, and forced to give up their identity by the ruling elite...

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Lupatria Gold Member

Lupatria

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-continue to see Thailand remaining active in the international arena, fulfilling pledges ???

When did they start to fulfill pledges regarding IUU, air safety, and human rights?

Washington has already invited Prayut to share Thailand's lessons learned and good practices involving refugees???

This is the crudest propaganda attempt this year. Unless Trump offered the junta to become consultants.

Sustainable development???

Yes there is sustainable development. Unfortunately only in the fields of greed and corruption.

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Caveat Emptor Senior Member

Caveat Emptor

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Saw the first   '  class photo  '   of the G20 delegates and there was the PM in the back row being totally ignored while most of the others were happily chatting away to each other.

Was he simply obeying his hosts instructions to sit at the back and keep quiet   ?

Still it won't stop the official Thai releases as to what a roaring success he was.

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Lupatria Gold Member

Lupatria

Posted
Posted
9 minutes ago, Caveat Emptor said:

Saw the first   '  class photo  '   of the G20 delegates and there was the PM in the back row being totally ignored while most of the others were happily chatting away to each other.

Was he simply obeying his hosts instructions to sit at the back and keep quiet   ?

Still it won't stop the official Thai releases as to what a roaring success he was.

He was probably trying to avoid being photographed while picking his nose again...

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jamesbrock Silver Member

jamesbrock

Posted
Posted
16 minutes ago, Caveat Emptor said:

Saw the first   '  class photo  '   of the G20 delegates and there was the PM in the back row being totally ignored while most of the others were happily chatting away to each other.

Was he simply obeying his hosts instructions to sit at the back and keep quiet   ?

Still it won't stop the official Thai releases as to what a roaring success he was.

 

Was he wearing his pyjamas traditional attire?

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Caveat Emptor Senior Member

Caveat Emptor

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Posted (edited)
4 minutes ago, jamesbrock said:

 

Was he wearing his pyjamas traditional attire?

You'd think he might have to announce   '  I'm here  '   but no,  he was wearing one of those horrible western style lounge suits that really shouldn't be encouraged.

He'll probably feel more relaxed for the final photo where the host nation supplies the attire.

Edited by Caveat Emptor
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Sphere Advanced Member

Sphere

Posted
Posted
16 minutes ago, Lupatria said:

He was probably trying to avoid being photographed while picking his nose again...

 

Was it with the right hand or left hand?

 

That's going to determine which corner he's given in the cross-linked-hands photo-op.

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JAG Gold Member

JAG

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5 hours ago, jamesbrock said:

 

What a role model.

Can be summed up as: "Policy?  We sell 'em to the highest bidder."

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debate101 Newbie

debate101

Posted
Posted
5 hours ago, jamesbrock said:

 

What a role model.

 

Thank you. Sometimes I think I'm going to go insane with the cognitive dissonance between what everyone just sort of nods their heads & accepts, and what really, actually happened.

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Prbkk Platinum Member

Prbkk

Posted
Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, Caveat Emptor said:

Saw the first   '  class photo  '   of the G20 delegates and there was the PM in the back row being totally ignored while most of the others were happily chatting away to each other.

Was he simply obeying his hosts instructions to sit at the back and keep quiet   ?

Still it won't stop the official Thai releases as to what a roaring success he was.

 

In that photo on the BBC website, Merkel and Hollande are front and centre, May is relegated to second row left: some penalty for the power station halt one would think. 

Edited by Prbkk
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debate101 Newbie

debate101

Posted
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11 minutes ago, JAG said:

Can be summed up as: "Policy?  We sell 'em to the highest bidder."

Check out how much Hun Sen received, per head, for deported Uighurs. Seems unlikely anyone in TL did it as a simple favor to Beijing. I'd look to the offshore accounts of a certain porcine wheeler and dealer. Can't be any more specific.

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williamgeorgeallen Senior Member

williamgeorgeallen

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, Caveat Emptor said:

Saw the first   '  class photo  '   of the G20 delegates and there was the PM in the back row being totally ignored while most of the others were happily chatting away to each other.

Was he simply obeying his hosts instructions to sit at the back and keep quiet   ?

Still it won't stop the official Thai releases as to what a roaring success he was.

wounder if the boss speaks english.

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elgordo38 Gold Member

elgordo38

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, Caveat Emptor said:

Saw the first   '  class photo  '   of the G20 delegates and there was the PM in the back row being totally ignored while most of the others were happily chatting away to each other.

Was he simply obeying his hosts instructions to sit at the back and keep quiet   ?

Still it won't stop the official Thai releases as to what a roaring success he was.

I saw one clip of him shaking hands with Mr. Xi he hated to let go. Meanwhile no red carpet for Obama or mobile steps. He had to leave by the belly of the plane. Don't forget to suck up to this pillar of  human rights and give away more American jobs. 

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Anthony5 Platinum Member

Anthony5

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, Caveat Emptor said:

Saw the first   '  class photo  '   of the G20 delegates and there was the PM in the back row being totally ignored while most of the others were happily chatting away to each other.

Was he simply obeying his hosts instructions to sit at the back and keep quiet   ?

Still it won't stop the official Thai releases as to what a roaring success he was.

 

He doesn't speak a language that anyone of them would understand, though I'm sure he expects that they all should have Thai as second language.

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Caveat Emptor Senior Member

Caveat Emptor

Posted
Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, williamgeorgeallen said:

wounder if the boss speaks english.

Not sure if it would be necessary,  plenty of holding hands,   smiling and nodding to each other but not with him.

Did he get the drift he's a nobody on the international stage and not in with the In crowd   ?

Probably not

Edited by Caveat Emptor
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baboon Platinum Member

baboon

Posted
Posted
32 minutes ago, Hawk said:

G20 leaders

 

Its all about money.  Human rights are not that important to the rich and powerful. See Mr. Prayut at the back waving like a jackass.

I see the Arab gentleman on the left wearing the dress is proud enough of his culture and heritage not to wear a western suit. Perhaps the drear leader should have taken a leaf out of his book and worn his General's uniform as that is who and what he is...

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Redline Gold Member

Redline

Posted
Posted (edited)
11 hours ago, Caveat Emptor said:

Saw the first   '  class photo  '   of the G20 delegates and there was the PM in the back row being totally ignored while most of the others were happily chatting away to each other.

Was he simply obeying his hosts instructions to sit at the back and keep quiet   ?

Still it won't stop the official Thai releases as to what a roaring success he was.

Nobody speaks Thai.  Well, the rep from Lao does, but they probably have nothing else to talk about

Edited by Redline
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