During 21 – 22 August 2017, H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, is scheduled to pay an official visit to Singapore and to co-officiate the Opening of the 13th Coordinating Meeting of the Thailand – Singapore Civil Service Exchange Program (CSEP) with H.E. Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Singapore, on 22 August 2017 at Regent Hotel, Singapore.

          The highlights of the program of the official visit to Singapore by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand include a bilateral meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Singapore, co-officiating the Opening of the 13th CSEP Meeting and attending a luncheon hosted by the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Singapore in honour of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand and the Thai delegation. On the afternoon of the same day, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand will pay a courtesy call on H.E. Mr. Lee Hsien Loong, Prime Minister of Singapore.

          The 13th CSEP Meeting will be co-chaired by H.E. Mrs. Busaya Mathelin, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand and H.E. Mr. Chee Wee Kiong, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Singapore. Senior officials from the civil service agencies in the 13 clusters of cooperation will participate in the Meeting. The theme of the Meeting on “An Enduring Partnership for a New Age” reflects the recognition by Thailand and Singapore on the importance in preparing the civil service agencies of both countries to adapt and effectively respond to the New Age of digital revolution.  

          The CSEP was established in 1998 as a bilateral mechanism under the Singapore – Thailand Enhanced Partnership (STEP) framework to promote networking and the exchanges of experiences and best practices between the 13 clusters of cooperation such as Ministry of Foreign Affairs, civil service, education, environment, health, information and communication technology, legal and judicial, media, arts and culture, and social welfare, youth and sports.