Sydney: The Prime Minister of Thailand, Anutin Charnvirakul, articulated his vision at the Lowy Forum, emphasizing Thailand's stance of not taking sides in a polarized international landscape. He highlighted the importance of ASEAN and a resilient economy in maintaining this strategic autonomy.
According to Thai News Agency, during his address at the Lowy Institute in Sydney, Australia, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul presented his insights on the evolving Thailand-Australia bilateral partnership and the significance of regional and minilateral cooperation. The Lowy Institute, known for its global policy research, hosted this event with Dr. Michael Fullilove, its Executive Director, welcoming the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister underscored the importance of Thailand's perspective on Australia's foreign policy, proposing three strategic approaches: genuine regionalism, strategic autonomy, and economic resilience. He stressed the importance of the upcoming 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Thailand and Australia, highlighting the need to extend their partnership beyond bilateral cooperation to benefit the broader region amidst global uncertainties affecting trade, investment, and security.
He further elaborated on Thailand's commitment to ASEAN as a strategic anchor, emphasizing the need for ASEAN to evolve and tackle regional challenges effectively. The Prime Minister also reiterated Thailand's support for ASEAN's Five-Point Consensus on Myanmar and expressed a commitment to peaceful resolutions with Cambodia, ensuring ASEAN unity.
Highlighting strategic autonomy, the Prime Minister asserted that it involves maintaining decision-making independence and forging diverse partnerships. He acknowledged Australia's role as ASEAN's first dialogue partner and advocated for expanding cooperation through minilateral frameworks to address pressing issues like transnational crime.
On economic resilience, the Prime Minister pointed out the importance of diversification and reducing reliance on single sources, citing the strong economic ties between Thailand and Australia through agreements like TAFTA and RCEP. He envisioned elevating these relations to a 'resilient partnership,' capitalizing on each country's strengths in various sectors.
The Prime Minister concluded by emphasizing the necessity for all countries to contribute to shaping a future international order through strategic partnerships and economic integration. He reiterated the role of the Thailand-Australia strategic partnership in fostering a stable and prosperous region.