Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Don Pramudwinai participated in the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and related meetings, discussed preparations for the upcoming 38th and 39th ASEAN Summits and Related Summits, ASEAN Community building efforts as well as exchanged views on regional and international issues, particularly humanitarian assistance to Myanmar.

On 4 October 2021 H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of  Thailand attended the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and related meetings. The Meetings were chaired by Dato Erywan Pehin Yusof, Second Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brunei Darussalam, in his capacity as Chair of ASEAN for 2021, and was attended by ASEAN Foreign Ministers and the Secretary-General of ASEAN.

The ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting discussed preparations for the upcoming 38th and 39th ASEAN Summits and Related Summits on 26-28 October 2021. ASEAN Foreign Ministers discussed ASEAN Community building efforts as well as exchange views on regional and international issues. They highlighted the importance of upholding multilateralism and the need to ensure ASEAN centrality and unity in the face of emerging regional challenges and revolving geopolitical dynamics. The Second Foreign Minister of Brunei, in his capacity of the Special Envoy of the ASEAN Chair on Myanmar, and the Secretary-General of ASEAN also briefed the meeting on progress in implementing the ASEAN Leaders’ 5-Point Consensus and the provision of humanitarian assistance to Myanmar.

The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs stressed the importance of re-strategising ASEAN engagement with external partners amidst the competing strategic landscape of major powers in the region. On the situation in Myanmar, the timely implementation of the 5-Point Consensus, especially the provision of humanitarian assistance, remains Thailand’s priority.

On the same day, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs also attended the 24th ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC) Council Meeting and the 30th ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC) Meeting.

At the 24th APSC Council Meeting, Thailand highlighted the importance of cross-pillar and cross-sectoral coordination, legal cooperation in the area of criminal justice, and border management cooperation to combat transnational crime.

At the 30th ACC Council Meeting, Thailand supported ASEAN’s priorities and key deliverables in 2021 under Brunei’s ASEAN Chairmanship culminating at the ASEAN Summits on 26-28 October 2021. The Deputy Prime Minister also advocated for enhanced ASEAN cooperation on COVID-19 response such as vaccine procurement, operationalisation of the ASEAN Travel Corridor Arrangement and a common approach for the verification of vaccine certificates and COVID-19 test results, as well as cooperation on the Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) Economy for ASEAN’s recovery and realisation of the SDGs.