Thailand has played a determined role in regional economic development and connectivity, in global peace and security, as well as in humanitarian assistance, while still attaching great importance to the needs of the Thai public who are increasingly linked to the global community, the Foreign Minister declared in a speech delivered to a group of Stanford alumnus in Thailand.
On 20 April 2011, Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya delivered a speech entitled “Thailand’s role in the World Affairs at the Present Time” at a dinner meeting of the Stanford Alumni Club of Thailand, where he focused on Thailand’s strong contributions to the international community.
These included Thailand’s active role in bilateral, sub-regional, and regional frameworks and ASEAN connectivity, which promise to promote economic development and bridge the development gap in the relevant areas, as well as enhance linkages through better transportation, telecommunications and customs networks. On the issue of development and globalization, Foreign Minister Kasit said that Thailand has actively shared His Majesty the King’s philosophy of sufficiency economy as a way to promote development while keeping in tune with nature.
The Foreign Minister noted that although Thailand was a middle sized country, it had become an emerging donor country which has had clear developments with regards to humanitarian assistance, which included an important role in addressing crisis such as natural disasters in Myanmar, Haiti, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Australia and Japan. He also focused on Thailand’s evolution as a more open and democratic society, with an active civil society and a free media.
Importantly, Thailand has not had a role in international community while ignoring the needs of its own people, the Foreign Minister stressed. As foreign affairs had become part and parcel of everyday life, and the situation in Libya could have an effect on the families of people living in the villages of Khon Kaen or Loei province, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has had to adjust its role accordingly. As a result, the Ministry now has 13 passport offices which, in addition to their consular duties, also act as coordinating centres for foreign affairs and initiate activities such as briefings, seminars and workshops on issues Thais planning to go abroad should be aware of.
In response to questions from the floor, Foreign Minister Kasit reassured his audience that religious harmony in Thailand was intact, and that Thailand’s democratic development has ensured that people from other religious such as Islam could rise to top positions in Thailand, like Chief of the Army, Foreign Minister and Speaker of the House of Representatives. In reply to another question on Thailand’s foreign policy evolution in the context of scarcer global resources, the Foreign Minister reiterated that Thailand is capably performing as both a global food cradle and a source of agricultural products for alternative energy.
For further information, please contact the Press Division, Department of Information, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tel.02-6435170, Fax.02-6435169, E-mail: div0704@mfa.go.th