On 10 September 2020, H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand, participated in ASEAN -Australia Ministerial Meeting via videoconference. The Meeting discussed ASEAN-Australia cooperation in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic through strengthening public health cooperation, securing supply chain in the region and mitigating socio-economic impacts on the people and businesses in ASEAN. Australia announced a 1-million AUD contribution to the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund. The Meeting also discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in various areas, including counter terrorism, transnational crimes and human trafficking, border management, connectivity and people-to-people exchanges. The Meeting expressed the commitment to sign Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) within this year.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand emphasized the importance of strengthening cooperation to ensure an environment conducive to post-COVID recovery, both in the economic and socio-cultural dimensions, and the need for both sides to re-focus areas of cooperation identified in the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific, to respond to current pressing challenges. The Minister also highlighed the need for continuation of dialogue between health experts on vaccine and anti-viral medicines, commended the new ASEAN-Australia Health Security Initiative to enhance the capacity of health officials, and the need to build capacity for businesses, especially MSMEs, through digital trade promotion. In addition, the Minister encouraged the utilisation of the ASEAN-Australia Smart Cities Trust Fund to support the development of projects on digital healthcare to improve the efficiency of healthcare services for the well-being of our people.