Thailand hosted the ASEM Symposium on “Inter-Regional Partnership for Sustainable Development” in Bangkok on 25 – 26 May 2017. The Symposium was an initiative of the Prime Minister of Thailand and was announced at the 11th ASEM Summit in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on 15 – 16 July 2016 to promote cooperation between Asia and Europe in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Symposium featured panelists from Thailand, the EU, China, Germany, Vietnam, Finland, Japan, Switzerland and the Philippines and attracted more than 170 participants.

 

Mr. Songpol Sukchan, Director-General of the Department of European Affairs and ASEM Senior Official of Thailand, delivered the opening remarks emphasising the need to recognise complementary strengths between Asia and Europe that could promote further cooperation in sustainable development. Mr. Sukchan cited the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP) as a key guiding principle for Thailand in achieving sustainable development and presented Thailand’s “SEP for SDGs Partnership” to promote SEP as an alternative approach in achieving the SDGs.

 

Participants commended the SEP as a method for achieving the SDGs as it engages relevant stakeholders with approaches that take into account different levels of social development and encourages local involvement, balanced use of resources, and awareness of social responsibility. 

 

The panelists shared their experiences in promoting the SDGs on both national and regional levels. The meeting emphasised the adoption of sustainable strategies and prioritisation, national mechanisms for engaging stakeholders, statistics collection as a framework for SDG indicators, and ASEM models for SDGs as ways to drive a nation towards sustainability.

 

On 26 May 2017, more than 30 participants joined an excursion to Khao Hin Sorn Royal Development Study Center. Along with a briefing on the history, objectives and current projects of the center, participants were given practical knowledge on the application of SEP at the Learning Center for Sufficiency Economy and the Botanical and Herbal Garden. New Theory agriculture, based on the SEP, and herbal processing products were showcased to the participants as examples of projects by the Thai people to practice land management and increase household income.