The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs recognised that migrants are essential contributors to economic growth and partners for sustainable development who must not be left behind at the opening session of the Asia-Pacific Regional Review of Implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) on 10 March 2021 at the UNESCAP in Bangkok.

H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand, delivered opening remarks at the Asia-Pacific Regional Review of Implementation of the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GCM) on 10 March 2021 at the UNESCAP in Bangkok. The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs stressed the importance of GCM as a comprehensive framework for international cooperation and management of migration. He underscored the need to turn words into action, and opined that, as migrants are severely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, a migrant-inclusive approach is key to finding solution, as "no one is safe until everyone is safe". “[This] will also help countries to build back better”, he added.

​On this occasion, Mr. Thani Thongphakdi, Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs, highlighted progress made by Thailand in implementing the GCM, including the adoption of the National Plan of Action and the establishment of inter-agency working group to follow up on GCM implementation. He also shared examples of Thailand’s efforts to mitigate impacts of COVID-19 on migrants, such as the extension of stay and work permits, the access to health care and services, including the provision of COVID-19 treatment free of charge. He also updated the meeting on Thailand’s “alternative to child immigration” policy, and expressed the country’s willingness to share its experiences and to cooperate with other countries and other partners in line with a whole-of-society approach to promote safe, orderly and regular migration.

The Asia-Pacific Regional Review of Implementation of the GCM was organised in hybrid format between 10 to 12 March 2021 and was attended by the Member States of ESCAP, UN Network on Migration and relevant stakeholders.