Thailand’s National Voluntary Presentation at the Annual Ministerial Review (AMR) Of ECOSOC High Level Segment 2014, 9 July 2014, United Nations, New York

                   On 9 July 2014, Mr. Sihasak Phuangketkeow, Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Acting Foreign Minister, gave National Voluntary Presentation at the Annual Ministerial Review (AMR) of ECOSOC High Level Segment 2014 at the UN Headquarter, New York.

                   Jointing other distinguished representatives from Georgia and Mexico in delivering the National Voluntary Presentation (NVP), Mr. Phuangketkeow expressd his appreciation to the representatives from Japan, Senegal and Vietnam for their roles as reviewers.  Thailand’s participation in the NVP clearly underlined its strong commitments to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs),  believing that NVP can help contribute to the global progress by sharing Thailand’s views and experiences, both in terms of successes and challenges, he said.

                   The Permanent Secretary highlighted a number of Thailand’s MDGs achievements, particularly in terms of poverty eradication, gender equality, access to education and health care, and forging global partnership for development. At the same time, he admitted that there are many challenges ahead.. We realized that we need to do more and that is why Thailand has ambitiously aimed to achieve the goals of the MDGs+, to set its goals even beyond what is set by the MDGs with regard to reducing the percentage number of people under the poverty line and doing more in areas of environmental sustainability.

                   On Thailand’s part, the Permanent Secretary stressed the importance on people-centred development which he elaborated that at the country’s national development policy is His Majesty the King’s Sufficiency Economy Philosophy, placing people and their quality of life at the centre of development and advocating a balance between economic growth and environmental conservation, with a strong emphasis on inclusiveness and sustainability. His Majesty’s extraordinary development approach is globally recognized by the first ever United Nations Development Programme’s Human Development Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006. These aspects of Sufficiency Economy Philosophy have been long reflected in our National Economic and Social Development Plans, particularly the most recent one for the years 2012-2016, which has also introduced the Life Cycle Development Strategy which further amplifies our people-centred approach, he pointed out.

                   The Permanent Secretary then shared Thailand’s views on the key points vital to its progress in the attaining the MDGs and Thailand’s success regarding Universal Health Coverage, an MDG which Thailand has achieved as early as 2002. He also touched upon the emerging challenges and new opportunities such as natural disaster management. Global partnership among countries, relevant international agencies, NGOs and the private sector is crucial.

                   The Permanent Secretary also updated the meeting on the political situation in Thailand which he said democracy and development must go hand in hand, and that Thailand seeks the understanding, support and engagement from friends and partners during this transitional time to a full-fledged democracy. 

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