Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs attended the 28th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), highlighting ASEAN central strategic role in working with major powers in building trust and confidence in the Asia Pacific and confirming Thailand to co-chair ARF-ISM on non-proliferation and disarmament for 2022-2024.

On 6 August 2021, H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, attended the 28th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) via videoconference. The Meeting was chaired by Dato Erywan Pehin Yusof, Second Foreign Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brunei Darussalam, as the Chair of ASEAN for 2021, and was attended by ARF Foreign Ministers and the Secretary-General of ASEAN.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs highlighted the importance of strengthening confidence building measures and cooperation in the region, especially in the context of the COVID-19 outbreak and health security. Access to safe and effective vaccines is a matter of urgency. Vaccine diplomacy should be all about humanitarian assistance, not as an instrument that intensifies the strategic competition of major powers. He suggested that the ARF could serve as a platform to discuss pressing regional issues frankly and constructively, which can lead to practical cooperation. In this context, Thailand will co-chair the ARF Seminar on Marine Debris with the United States and China during
2021-2022 and the ARF Inter-Sessional Meeting on Non-Proliferation and Disarmament with the United States and Sri Lanka in 2022-2024.

The Meeting discussed the future direction of the ARF; adopted the List of Track I Activities, the Joint Statement to Promote the Youth, Peace and Security Agenda at the ARF and the ARF Work Plan for Disaster Relief (2021-2023); and noted the ARF Annual Security Outlook 2021. The Meeting also exchanged views on regional and international issues, including the COVID-19 pandemic, South China Sea, situation in Myanmar, situation on the Korean Peninsula, nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, cybersecurity, combating terrorism, climate change, Question of Palestine, and conflict in Afghanistan.