Statement to the Press

 

H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand

at the 9th Meeting of the Joint Commission between Thailand and Indonesia

6 July 2018 at 11.30 hrs.,

Hotel Tentrem Yogyakarta, Indonesia

 

*********

 

• Thank you very much Excellency Madame Retno for your excellent synopsis of our meeting. 

 

• As highlighted by my Co-Chair, Minister Retno and I today had a very constructive and productive meeting.

 

• In addition to the key successes mentioned by Minister Retno, I would like to highlight a few more salient points we discussed and agreed at the meeting. 

 

• We shared the view that a stronger partnership between Thailand and Indonesia is very important for both our two countries and the region. In light of uncertainty and challenges we are facing in the region, such partnership is all the more important. 

 

• In realizing such a common objective, we agreed to intensify the exchanges of high level visits between the leaders, ministers and senior officials. We also attached importance of the Joint Commission (JC) as a key mechanism in steering bilateral relations. In this regard, we agreed to strive to convene the JC Meeting regularly, if possible annually, in order to maintain the strong momentum in the relations and to follow up on the implementation of what we have agreed upon.

 

• We also welcome the fast growing trade and investment relations between our two countries, which up to now is largely driven by the private sector. We agreed that both sides should convene the First Joint Trade Committee (JTC) meeting in Thailand this year so to discuss ways to promote trade, investment and tourism. Both sides also agreed to promote a closer public-private partnership in our pursuit of our economic relations. We will revitalize the Thailand-Indonesia Business Council and the Indonesia-Thailand Chamber of Commerce in further promoting economic cooperation among private sectors. 

 

• We also agreed to reenergize technical cooperation particularly in such areas as agriculture and health. Therefore, we will convene the 4th Consultation Meeting on Technical Cooperation in 2018 in Thailand.

 

• I also took the opportunity to inform her that combatting illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing is high on our national agenda. As a result, we look forward to convening of the First Joint Working Group on Fisheries Cooperation as discussed by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-Cha and President Joko Widodo in 2015 and the early conclusion of the Joint Communique on Voluntary International Cooperation to Combat Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing and to Promote Sustainable Fisheries Governance.   

 

• On the socio-cultural front, both of us do place importance in promoting people-to-people relations, particularly between youths who will be the driving force in our push for closer and deeper relations. We have agreed to promote exchanges, partnerships between universities, and more provision of grants and scholarships.

 

• In conclusion, I thank Minister Retno and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia for the warm hospitality and the successful organization of the 9th Joint Commission Meeting. I look forward to working with Minister Retno in the promotion of a more meaningful, dynamic and action-oriented partnership between Thailand and Indonesia in the years to come.