On 9 – 11 May 2023, H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs as the Special Envoy of Prime Minister, participated in the 42nd ASEAN Summit and related meetings, in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia. The Meeting was held under Indonesia’s 2023 Chairmanship with the theme “ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth.”

The ASEAN Leaders discussed ways to enhance ASEAN’s potential in response to various challenges amidst volatile geopolitics and maintain ASEAN’s importance as the epicentrum of economic growth. Other topics of concern included the situation in Myanmar and the subsequent transnational crimes in the region, especially drug trafficking and trafficking in persons. In this regard, the ASEAN Leaders adopted the Declaration on Combating Trafficking in Persons Caused by the Abuse of Technology and issued the Statement on the Recent Attack on a Convoy of the AHA Centre and ASEAN Monitoring Team in Myanmar. In addtion, the ASEAN Leaders adopted a number of outcome documents, including the Declarations on Advancing Regional Payment Connectivity and Promoting Local Currency Transaction and Developing Regional Electric Vehicle Ecosystem.

On this occasion, DPM/FM raised important issues which affected peoples’ well-being: (1) On transboundary haze pollution, Thailand would follow-up on the CLEAR Sky Strategy with Lao PDR and Myanmar and explore the possibility to conduct the Waste-to-Energy project with Myanmar to reduce open burning, especially by-products from agriculture; (2) On mutual assistance for ASEAN citizens abroad, Thailand urged ASEAN member states to expedite the implementation of the relevant guidelines to effectively provide assistance to ASEAN citizens in times of need, which should also be extended to the Community’s capable Dialogue partners as well; and (3) on the Indo-Pacific Region, Thailand reiterated the need to preserve ASEAN Centrality amidst geopolitical tensions and constructively engage with all major powers in accordance with the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP).

DPM/FM Don also participated in a series of ASEAN ministerial meetings and the Interfaces between ASEAN Leaders and representatives of key stakeholders, namely ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, ASEAN youth, ASEAN Business Advisory Council and High-Level Task Force on ASEAN Community’s Post-2025 Vision.