Summary of Weekly Press Briefing by

Director-General of the Department of Information/Spokesperson of MFA

Thursday 18 July 2024 at 11.30 hrs.

Press Conference Room, Ministry of Foreign Affiars and MFA FB Live

1. Outcomes of “The Special Presentation of the Tipitaka Saj-jha-ya Phonetic Recitation, King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit Commemorative 2016 Editions,” in Celebration of the 6th Cycle Birthday Anniversary of His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua
   • On 16 July 2024, the Minister of Foreign Affairs presided on the inaugural ceremony of a project to disseminate the Buddhist scriptures, namely the “Tipitaka Saj-jha-ya Phonetic Recitation, King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit Commemorative 2016 Editions,” to various countries around the world in celebration of the 6th Cycle Birthday Anniversary of His Majesty King the King of Thailand.
   • The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the World Tipitaka Foundation organised an exhibition on Thailand’s role over the centuries in preserving, developing, and disseminating the Buddhist scriptures. The Ministry also held a public talk to converse and exchange views on various interesting aspects of the Tipitaka, including the development through history, innovative application of Pali phonetic processing, and new generations’ perception.
   • In the next phase, the Ministry will cooperate with the World Tipitaka Foundation to consign the aforementioned edition of the Buddhist scriptures to 36 countries and 2 international organizations.

2. The Minister of Foreign Affairs’s Visit to Saudi Arabia
   • During 14 - 15 July 2024, the Minister paid a visit to Saudia Arabia to preside over the opening ceremony of the Board of Investment (BOI) Office in Riyadh, by the invitation of the BOI Secretary-General. The Minister also led a delegation of the Thai private sector to attend the Thai - Saudi Investment Forum and business matching activities. Over 200 Thai businessmen were present while more than 100 business matching took place.
   • The Minister also discussed with several Saudi Ministers, including Minister of Investment, Minister of Public Health, and Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture, as well as met with leading Saudi companies, including those from the agriculture and livestock import business group, the insurance, food, and automobile industries.

3. The Minister of Foreign Affairs’s visit to Sa Kaeo Province for the opening of the Sa Kaeo Passport Office, and visit to Sa Kaeo SEZ
   • On 17 July 2024, the Minister presided over the official opening ceremony of the Sa Kaeo Passport Office, which was attended by the Director-General of the Consular Affairs Department, the Governor of Sa Kaeo Province, representatives of the Cambodian government, and the Thai private sector in the area.
   • The Sa Kaeo Passport Office was established to facilitate travel across the Thai-Cambodian border at Ban Khlong Luek, Aranyaprathet District, which is an important border trade and tourist gateway to Cambodia.
   • The Minister also visited the Sa Kaeo Industrial Estate to follow up on progress in the development of the Sa Kaeo Special Economic Zone.

4. Participation of the Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs at the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) 2024

• During 13 - 20 July 2024, the Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs participated in the HLPF at the UN Headquarters in New York.
• On 16 July 2024, the Vice Minister delivered a statement during the General Debate of the HLPF, emphasizing Thailand’s commitment to accelerate implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in line with the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP) and BCG Economic Model. He also highlighted the importance of financial mechanisms and sources of funds for sustainable development, narrowing the digital divide, social protection and public health, as well as the link between human rights and sustainable development. He also reiterated Thailand’s candidature to the United Nations Human Rights Council for the term of 2025-2027.
• The Vice Minister also delivered a statement at the UNSC Open Debate on the topic of “Multilateral Cooperation for a Just and Democratic World Order” and discussed with senior United Nations officials, as well as Dr. Kyung-wha Kang, President and CEO of Asia Society.

5. Upcoming 57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM) and related meetings in Vientiane to be attended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs

• During 24-27 July 2024, the Minister will participate in the 57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM) and related meetings in Vientiane to engage with other ASEAN Foreign Ministers, as well as representatives from 30 other countries and international organizations, discussing how to advance ASEAN cooperation under the theme set by the Laotian Chair - “ASEAN: Enhancing Connectivity and Resilience.” The Meetings will discuss preparation for the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits in October 2024 in Vientiane.
• ASEAN Dialogue Partners in attendance include the United States, Russia, China, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the United Kingdom and the European Union (EU), who will engage with ASEAN Foreign Ministers through cooperation frameworks such as ASEAN Plus Three Meeting, East Asia Summit (EAS), and ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF). In addition, ASEAN Foreign Ministers will also take this opportunity to hold several bilateral discussions with counterparts.

6. Updates on the death of six foreign nationals

• On the case of the death of six foreign nationals (four Vietnamese and two Vietnamese Americans), discovered on 16 July 2024, Thailand places great importance on the safety of its citizens and tourists alike. The Prime Minister acted immediately after the incident and was present at the scene to instruct relevant agencies in investigating the cause of death of these foreign nationals as a matter of urgency. There has also been very close coordination between Thai officials and the Vietnamese and U.S. Embassies.
• On 17 July 2024, the Deputy Police Commissioner and investigating team shared information on progress in investigations. The autopsy of the deceased revealed similar conditions and evidence leading to the likelihood of poison - cyanide - being the cause of death. 
• No illegal items were found in the luggage, and there is no evidence to suggest any relation to a transnational criminal organization. Further investigation and examinations are needed and will require approximately 1-2 days to complete. 

7. Thailand's lastest short-term visa measures in support of proactive economic policies

• On 15 July 2024, four short-term visa measures were published in the Royal Gazette and entered into force immediately.
• The categotization of visas are:
  • Visa Exemption (60 Days) for nationals of 93 countries and territories for the purpose of tourism, business engagements or urgent work/ad-hoc work, for up to a 60-day period of stay, which can be extended for another period not exceeding 30 days;
  • Visa on arrival (VOA) for nationals of 31 countries and territories for tourism purposes;
  • Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) for Digital Nomads, Remote Workers, and Freelancers;
  • Non-Ed Plus VISA aims to facilitate international students studying at universities in Thailand at the bachelor's degree level or above.

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Watch the full session at: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/4d9vMt5RAaQzNvMB/?mibextid=WC7FNe