Prime Minister of Thailand gave speech at the ASEAN Women Leaders’ Summit on “Women’s Role in Building a Cohesive, Dynamic, Sustainable and Inclusive ASEAN Community in a Post COVID-19 World”, proposing that ASEAN give priorities to women’s accessibility to capital and digital technology, and promote women’s role in public health.

On 12 November 2020, at 19.00 hrs., H.E. General Prayut Chan-o-Cha, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand, attended the ASEAN Women Leaders’ Summit. The meeting was also participated by ASEAN leaders and representatives, women representatives of ASEAN countries including Khunying Natthika Wattanavekin Angubolkul, Chairperson of the ASEAN Women Entrepreneurs Network, Queen Máxima of the Netherlands as a special advocate to the UN Secretary-General for Inclusive Finance for Development (UNSGSA), Vice President of the World Bank, and the Secretary General of ASEAN. During the meeting, representatives discussed various ways to strengthen women’s role and capabilities including gender mainstreaming in policies and practices, accessibility to capital by utilising digital technology, employment opportunities, promoting women as leaders, human capital and skills development for the Fourth Industrial Revolution to cope with various challenges including COVID-19 and to build a people-centered ASEAN community.

In this meeting, the Prime Minister mentioned the Royal Thai Government’s measures to alleviate the plight of women who are affected by COVID-19 including (1) providing social welfare, 2) supporting employment, 3) strengthening capacity, and 4) economic assistance. The Prime Minister also proposed ASEAN to facilitate the accessibility to capital and digital technology, particularly MSMEs entrepreneurs to generate income and become self-reliant by adapting business development strategies to meet with the New Normal. In addition, the Prime Minister highlighted Thai women’s role as Village Health Volunteers who have made a significant contribution in preventing the spread of infection in local communities, becoming an important factor for Thailand in managing COVID-19 infections to a satisfactory level.  

Khun Ying Natthika Wattanavekin Angubolkul, as the Thai women’s representative, emphasised the importance in ensuring women’s accessibility to resources and digital technology, equal opportunity in education, improvement of gender equality, comprehensive development, as well as promoting women as a driving force for achieving the ASEAN Community Vision 2025.