H.E. Mr. Sihasak Phuangketkeow, Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand, is scheduled to attend the 47th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) and Related Meetings on 5 – 10 August 2014 in Nay Pyi Taw, Republic of the Union of Myanmar.

In addition to the AMM, ASEAN Foreign Ministers are scheduled to meet with the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) and attend a series of meetings with external partners, i.e. the Post-Ministerial Conferences with Dialogue Partners, the 15th ASEAN Plus Three Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, the 4th East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, and the 21st ASEAN Regional Forum.  At the sub-regional level, Permanent Secretary and Acting Foreign Minister Sihasak will also attend the 7th Mekong-Japan Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, the 7th Lower Mekong Initiative (LMI) Ministerial Meeting and 4th Friends of Lower Mekong (FLM) Ministerial Meeting.

Moreover, ASEAN Foreign Ministers will discuss the follow up and review of the progress of the implementation of key measures in the ASEAN Community building process, including discussion to promote ASEAN centrality in the regional architecture. As customary practice, ASEAN Foreign Ministers will meet with the Dialogue Partners and explore ways and means to strengthen cooperation in tackling non-traditional security issues which could be more eminent as a result of enhanced regional connectivity and closer regional integration, such as transnational crimes, drugs matters, trafficking in persons and migration.

In this regard, Thailand will host a Regional Conference on “The Future of Security in the Asia-Pacific: Emerging Challenges, Promoting Conflict Management and Enhancing Cooperation in Maritime Areas” in Bangkok on 25 – 26 August 2014 and will co-chair ASEAN Regional Forum on Inter-Sessional Meeting on Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime in 2015.

The Plus One, EAS and ARF Meetings provide the chance for ASEAN Foreign Ministers and Foreign Ministers of Dialogue Partners to exchange views on key regional and international issues of common interest, such as relations among major powers in the region, situation in East Asia, South China Sea, Middle East and Northern Africa, and situation in Ukraine. 

Permanent Secretary and Acting Foreign Minister Sihasak is also scheduled to have bilateral meetings with several Foreign Ministers, including with Indonesia, Brunei Darussalam, China, Australia, and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.