Remarks By H.E. Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand At the Closing Ceremony of the 15th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits 25 October 2009
Your Majesty,
Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
1. First of all, I would like to extend the profound gratitude of the people of Thailand to His Majesty the Sultan of Brunei Darussalam and the other 14 Leaders who have expressed their best wishes for the good health and continued recovery of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand.
Your Majesty,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
2. Upon assuming our Chairmanship, Thailand laid down three goals. The first is to realise the ASEAN Charter. We have operationalised new organs under the Charter. The inauguration of the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) two days ago is a highlight and reflects ASEAN’s determination to realise a truly people-centred Community by 2015.
3. The second goal is to revitalise a people-centred and more integrated ASEAN Community. Connectivity — both physical and of the hearts and minds of our peoples — was a key topic of discussion over the last three days.
4. And the third goal is to reinforce human security for all. We have worked together to collectively address the challenges facing our region and peoples — be they the global economic and financial crisis; climate change; food and energy security; infectious disease; or natural disasters. ASEAN’s collective voice and views on these issues have been heard on the world stage and reflect the vibrant spirit of cooperation among us and our recognition of our shared destiny.
Your Majesty,
Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
5. As Thailand is concluding her Chairmanship, I would like to offer some thoughts on how to embark on a new era of ASEAN cooperation. First, we have to make sure that our meetings produce ‘concrete’ outcomes to help address pressing issues affecting the well-being of our peoples. Second, we have to ensure ‘continuity’ in our work so that all our decisions will be translated into real actions. Third, we have to ensure that ASEAN continues to play a ‘constructive’ role in engaging with our external partners to maintain ASEAN’s centrality in the evolving regional architecture.
6. In closing, I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to all colleagues for your kind cooperation and support throughout our Chairmanship, which will end on 31 December 2009. We stand ready to cooperate closely with Viet Nam and all colleagues to create a more action-oriented and better-connected ASEAN Community.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
7. Our Community is only 6 years away -- it will take all of us, as governments and peoples, to build that Community. Let us together take ASEAN into the future for the benefit of our peoples, our region, and the world at large. Thank you. Sawasdee krub
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