On 26 September 2013, Mr. Surapong Tovichakchaikul, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, joined his ministerial colleagues at the Informal ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, held at United Nations Headquarters in New York.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Surapong informed the meeting that Thailand had presented candidatures to the International Maritime Organization Council for the term 2014-2015, the Human Rights Council for the term 2015-2017, and a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the term 2017-2018.  He thanked all ASEAN Member States for their support for Thailand’s candidatures and expressed his hope that ASEAN members would help promote and support each other in order to help raise the profile and cohesiveness of ASEAN in international fora.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister shared his view that ASEAN’s post-2015 Development Agenda should be in line with the UN’s post-2015 Development Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which emphasize a people-centered agenda and encompass such issues as universal health coverage, inclusive growth, and engagement with all sectors, especially civil society.  He also added that ASEAN must come up with common goals and targets to motivate peoples in the region to participate in the building of a people-centered ASEAN, so that they can relate to and reap the benefits of ASEAN’s integration.