Weekly press briefing by MFA spokesperson  

on Thursday, 31 March 2022 at 11:30 hours  

via MFA Facebook Live 

1. The 5^th Summit of the BIMSTEC and related meetings (29 - 30 March 2022). 

• On 29 March 2022, DPM/FM attended the 18th BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting in Colombo, Sri Lanka,under the theme “It’s New Dawn, And
  New Day.” The theme reflected the ongoing recovery of the Bay of Bengal Region that encompasses 22% of the global population in 7 high potential countries in South and Southeast Asia: Thailand, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan.
• The Ministers resolved to expand and intensify BIMSTEC collaboration to enhance the region as region of peace and sustainability, and post COVID-19 recovery.
• On 30 March 2022, PM virtually attended the 5^th BIMSTEC Summit, which Sri Lanka handed over the chairmanship to Thailand and pathbreaking achievements have been reached.
• The leaders of BIMSTEC member states have to elevated collaboration by signing the BIMSTEC Charter, granting it a status of intergovernmental organization and thus enhancing its visibility and credibility at international level. 
• The meeting adopted key documents and decisions, including the BIMSTEC Master Plan on Transport Connectivity, proposed by Thailand.
  The BIMSTEC Summit has paved a way for Thailand to play a more prominent role in enhancing inter-regional connectivity that will underpin Thailand’s role as bridge-builder, transport hub, and business linkage between Southeast and South Asia and between the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
• As Chair of BIMSTEC, Thailand will work towards realizing the vision presented at the summitby PM: for Prosperous, Resilient and Robust, Open BIMSTEC or “PRO BIMSTEC”, while incorporating the BCG Economy Model as a guiding concept.
• Assuming of the Chairmanship of BIMSTEC and the host of APEC will put Thailand in the driver’s seat in two economic cooperation frameworks that encompass almost 70% of the global GDP. Thailand will work with all partners for post-pandemic economic recovery, closer business and people-to-people ties, and inclusive and sustainable growth.
  

2. DPM/FM to visit the People’s Republic of China (1 – 2 April 2022) 

• DPM/FM will visit Huangshan City, Anhui Province, the People’s Republic of China during 1 - 2 April 2022 at the invitation of H.E. Mr. Wang Yi, State Councilor/FM of China. DPM/FM will lead a delegation of economic and business representatives of Thailand, including the Chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, and representatives from the private sector, with the purpose of strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership between Thailand and China and enhancing cooperation to revitalize the economy from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and global situation.
• Highlights of the visit include a bilateral meeting between DPM/FM and the State Councilor /FM of China and a luncheon to be hosted by the State Councilor/FM. The delegation will also meet Governor of Anhui Province and key economic agencies of Anhui Province.
• The visit aimed to promote and facilitate trade and investment, and transport connectivity, including connectivity between the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) and the Yangtze River Delta (YRD), which is a leading economic region of China with Anhui Province as a member.
  In addition, DPM/FM will discuss with State Councilor/FM other cooperation areas of mutual interest under the bilateral, subregional (Mekong-Lancang) and regional (ASEAN-China) frameworks and exchange views on regional and international issues of mutual interest.
• This visit is a result of DPM/FM’s initiative in late 2021 to lead a delegation of Thai private sector representatives to visit China, with a view to promote economic cooperation and to reciprocate the official visit to Thailand by State Councilor/FM in October 2020. During the past months, MFA of both sides have been coordinating on the arrangement of the visit at a mutually convenient date.
  
  

3. Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs discussed with the Executive Director of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) (28 March 2022)

• H.E. Mr. Kairat Sarybay, Executive Director of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) paid a courtesy call on Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs, during his visit to Thailand to attend the 9th Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development at the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) Secretariat.
• Both sides shared updates on the latest developments in CICA, while Vice Minister expressed Thailand’s support for cooperation in the CICA framework. Executive Director informed the Thai side of the preparations being made for the 6th CICA Summit on 12 - 13 October 2022 in
  Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, and reiterated his invitation for Thailand to participate in the Summit.
• Vice Minister also reaffirmed Thailand’s full support as the coordinator in Sustainable Development and the co-coordinator in the Development of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the CICA framework. He also commended Kazakhstan’s active role and leadership as the current Chairman of CICA.

4. The 1st Joint Working Group on Bilateral Cooperation between the Kingdom of Thailand and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (28 - 29 March 2022)

• Mr. Darm Boontham, DG of Dept. of South Asia, Middle East and African Affairs, co-chaired the 1st Joint Working Group on Bilateral Cooperation between Thailand and Saudi Arabia to plan for ways to enhance Bilateral Relations of two countries. This Working Group was co-chaired by
  Mr. Faisal Al-Amodi, DG of Dept. of Asian Affairs and was attended by about 100 government representatives from both sides.
• The main goal of the joint working group is to consider the draft of the “Roadmap to Strengthen Bilateral Relations between the Kingdom of Thailand and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia” and the draft of the “MoU between the Government of the Kingdom of Thailand and the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on the Establishment of the Saudi–Thai Coordination Council.”
• The meeting discussed 3 main strategic areas of cooperation; political and security cooperation, economic cooperation, and social and cultural cooperation.
• On 29 March 2022, MFA also organized a forum for the Saudi representatives to meet with representatives from the leading Thai private sector in the potential areas of cooperation such as hotels, tourism and hospitality, petrochemical, industry, food security and hospitals.
  
  

5. Mobile Consular Services in Trat Province

• Mobile consular services will be held at Provincial Administrative Organization office of Trat province, from 2 –  3 April 2022 during 08.00 - 16.30 hrs.
• Passport applicants can walk-in to the City Hall without appointment. Further information: https://bit.ly/3qHeCHM and Dept. of Consular Affairs’ website, www.consular.go.th

6. Thai Scholar received Padma Shri Award from President of India (28 March 2022) 

• President Ram Nath Kovind of India conferred the Padma Awards to distinguished persons in various fields. Thai awardee, Assistant Prof. Dr. Chirapat Prapandavidyha, Thai specialist on Sanskrit, received the Padma Shri Award in honour of his contribution towards enhancing of India-Thailand friendship. Other international awardees are from Poland, Ireland, and Russia. 
  

* * * * *

Weekly Press Briefing:  https://fb.watch/c4YGvmrm7o/

Press Division,
Department of Information