Weekly press briefing by MFA Deputy Spokesperson

On Thursday, 2 June 2022 at 10:00 hours

At Press Conference Room, MFA and via MFA Facebook Live

1. PM of the Lao PDR paid an official visit to Thailand (1-2 June 2022)

• H.E. Mr. Phankham Viphavanh, PM of the Lao PDR, and his spouse paid their first official visit to Thailand after his assumption of duty at the invitation of PM of Thailand. This was an important opportunity for both sides to strengthen and set a direction for bilateral relations in the future.
• On 1 June 2022, PM Phankham was well received by PM Prayut at the Government House. They had a friendly discussion on various aspects of Thai-Lao relations in a new era of “strategic partnership for growth and sustainable development.”
• Both sides discussed cooperation in various key areas. On economic development, they wished to resume cross-border trade and tourism as soon as possible to foster growth and job creation. On connectivity, they expressed preparedness to enhance linkages between Thailand and the Lao PDR, by constructing a new railway over the Mekong River near the 1^st Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge (Nong Khai-Vientiane) and leveraging the Laos-China railway. On security, they looked forward to tightening coordinated patrol along their border area to combat illegal border crossings and drug trafficking. Other topics included people-to-people relations, official development assistance, public health, as well as sub-regional and regional cooperation
• On 1 June 2022, PM of the Lao PDR was awarded an honorary doctorate degree in political science by Maejo University for his prominent role in the socio-economic development of the Lao PDR based on strong educational foundations.
• Later on, PM of the Lao PDR delivered opening remarks for “Thai-Lao Business Talk and Networking,” which was a forum on trade and investment opportunities in the longer term in the Lao PDR, including the Laos-China railway project. The session was followed by a business networking event for business people from both countries to expand their connections and promote cooperation with concrete outcomes for the benefit of all. The activities concluded with great responses from over 200 participants.

2. DPM/FM attended the 6th High-Level Brainstorming Dialogue (30 May 2022)

• On 30 May 2022, DPM/FM and Ms. Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, Under-Secretary-General of the UN and Executive Secretary of ESCAP, co-chaired the 6^th High-Level Brainstorming Dialogue on Enhancing Complementarities between the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (HLBD) at the UN Conference Centre in Bangkok and via videoconference.
• This forum aims to promote regional cooperation in enhancing synergies between ASEAN Community-building and the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda, or the so-called “Complementarities Initiative.”
• DPM/FM put forth the following ideas as ways forward for the Complementarities Initiative:

                    (1) Promoting the synergies and alignment of the Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) Economy Model with ASEAN’s and external partner’s development policies through exchanges of best practices, as well as transfers of technological and scientific resources;

                    (2) Mainstreaming sustainable development and sustainability into ASEAN’s Cooperation with external partners in support of the implementation of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific;

                    (3) Increasing youth empowerment and engagement through creating an ideation space for youths to showcase their ideas and enhance their capacity on sustainability issues; and

                    (4) Fostering a peaceful environment and enhancing partnerships among all key stakeholders to ensure human security of the people, global peace and prosperity, as well as sustainability of the planet. 

• The Meeting reviewed the progress made and discussed ways to advance the Complementarities Initiative based on the 5 priority areas of cooperation under the Complementarities Roadmap (2020-2025), namely, poverty eradication, infrastructure and connectivity, sustainable management of natural resources, sustainable consumption and production, and resilience.
• The annual HLBD meeting has been co-hosted by Thailand, as the ASEAN Coordinator on Sustainable Development Cooperation, and UN ESCAP since 2017. Among concrete initiatives under the HLBD are the Complementarities Roadmap and the establishment of the ASEAN Centre for Sustainable Development Studies and Dialogue (ACSDSD) in Bangkok which has provided institutional support for the coordination of the implementation of the Roadmap.

3. The handing over of COVID-19 vaccines from the Government of Denmark (26 May 2022)

• On 26 May 2022, MFA and Ministry of Public Health attended the handing over of 1,266,000 doses of Moderna COVID-19 vaccines from the Government of Denmark. H.E. Mr. Jon Thorgaard, Ambassador of Denmark to Thailand, attended the event as a representative of the Danish government.
• The donation by the Danish government on this occasion is a testament to the long-standing friendship between Thailand and Denmark, after the 400^th anniversary of the first contact of the two countries in 2021. Additionally, it is the result of close cooperation among MFA, Royal Danish Embassy, Department of Disease Control, and the Statens Serum Institute of Denmark. The vaccines will be distributed to both Thai and foreign citizens in Thailand and along the Thai borders.

4. The case of Thai woman died in Oman

• On 27 May 2022, a Thai woman reportedly died after falling off a building in Mabela, Muscat, Oman. RTE Muscat has been closely working with the Omani police to follow up on the investigation. The Omani police are now investigating the death and keeping the body for autopsy. After the cause of her death has been established, the embassy will help return her body or ashes to Thailand. RTE has already informed the deceased’s relatives of the process.
• On 30 May 2022, the Thai Ambassador to Oman visited the Thai community in Mabela, stating the RTE’s readiness to help the Thai people and to answer any inquiries.

5. MFA warns Thai nationals planning to work in UAE

• The MFA wishes to strongly warn Thai nationals not to fall for any exaggerated commercial and deception regarding high-paying job opportunities in the UAE. The deception generally involves the agents claiming to help cover flight expenses in advance but the workers would have to pay back the money upon their arrival.
• Sex trafficking is illegal in the UAE. Penalties include prison sentences and fines, depending on the consideration of the court, before banishment. Foreigners are not allowed to work in the UAE on visit or tourist visas. Working in the UAE without a legitimate work/residency permit will be charged for illegal working and will face fines of up to 50,000 dirhams (approximately 473,000 baht), deportation, or imprisonment.
• For emergency services regarding trafficking issues, please contact UAE police at: 999
• For further assistance, please contact the service hotline: RTE Abu Dhabi + 971-56-112-1348; or Facebook: Royal Thai Embassy Abu Dhabi.

Weekly Press Briefing: https://fb.watch/do8zL1gaWU/

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Press Division
Department of Information