SINGAPORE: Thailand took over the chairmanship of ASEAN on Thursday.
Singapore handed over the symbolic gavel of chairmanship to Thailand after a decade. Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha thanked his Singapore counterpart Lee Hsien Loong for “efficiently driving forward a resilient and innovative Asean community” and promised that Bangkok will continue the good work.
Prayut unveiled the theme of the chairmanship — Advancing Partnership for Sustainability — at the closing ceremony of the 33rd Asean Summit at the Suntec Singapore International Convention and Exhibition Centre. “(Asean’s) role is recognised internationally and it’s at the centre of the regional architecture.
However, Asean is also facing a number of challenges such as trade and political competition, disruptive technologies, transnational crime, inequities and transformation in the region’s social structure,” Prayut said.
As the new ASEAN chair, Thailand’s key priorities include boosting connectivity in infrastructure, rules and regulations and people-to-people contacts. Another focus is on sustainable development in security and economic growth, he said. (AGENCIES)
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