Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra has proposed Thailand as the host country for the upcoming ASEAN member meeting in December aimed at finding peaceful resolutions to the crisis in Myanmar, government spokesperson Jirayu Huangsap revealed on Saturday.
Jirayu appeared on a Radio Authority of Thailand broadcast, detailing the Prime Minister’s diplomatic visit to Laos. There, she participated in the ASEAN Leaders’ Summit from October 8-11 and held bilateral discussions with the host country.
The summit was marked by the inclusion of Timor-Leste as the newest member of the Southeast Asian group.
During her visit, Prime Minister Paetongtarn conducted bilateral discussions with her Laotian counterpart and other high-level officials.
The talks focused on cross-border issues such as air pollution and drug trafficking and discussed strategies to control flooding along the Mekong River, Jirayu explained.
The Prime Minister had a full agenda, participating in the 44th and 45th ASEAN Leaders’ Summits and engaging in over 20 meetings with regional heads.
These meetings included discussions with China, South Korea, and Japan, commemorating key moments in their relationships with ASEAN.
In several bilateral talks, Paetongtarn introduced herself to leaders from 12 nations—Brunei, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, China, South Korea, Japan, India, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada.
She also met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Klaus Schwab, the founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum, who invited her to the WEF meeting in Davos, Switzerland, in 2025.
Jirayu emphasized Thailand’s role in fostering economic collaboration during the summit, with the Prime Minister advocating for more flight connections between ASEAN countries and extended visa exemption periods to enhance regional tourism.
The spokesperson noted that Thailand and its dialogue partners have committed to work together on transnational crimes, especially drug trafficking and call-center scams.
They also discussed disaster response, water management strategies, and tackling air pollution, including PM2.5 particles.
On the summit’s last day, Paetongtarn reaffirmed Thailand’s dedication to regional peace by offering to host the ASEAN December meeting to advance peace efforts in Myanmar, Jirayu noted.
The four-day summit garnered considerable international media attention and was deemed a great success, Jirayu remarked.
These discussions are expected to bring tangible benefits to the ASEAN populace, with Malaysia scheduled to host the 46th ASEAN Summit next year.
