Thailand to take ASEAN chairmanship at this week's summit in Singapore

BANGKOK, November 12 (TNA) - Thailand will alternately take the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) during this year's ASEAN Summit and related forums, scheduled to be held in Singapore during November 13-15. Deputy Government Spokesman Lieutenant General Werachon Sukondhapatipak said on Monday the 33rd ASEAN Summit and related forums is the last platform that neighboring Singapore will play the role of the ASEAN chairmanship and Thailand will then take such the principal role alternately. The deputy spokesman told journalists that the theme of this year's ASEAN Summit and related forums, in which not only leaders of all ASEAN member countries participate, but also those of the 10-member bloc's dialogue partners, other regional partners and international organizations take part, has been set as strengthening innovations-led ASEAN. "Innovations are considered a key factor for not only the economic development of a nation, but also public benefits in terms of enhancing people's well-being and quality of life, covering the areas of cyber security, as well as anti-terrorism and other transnational crime", the deputy spokesman mentioned. "The agenda of this year's ASEAN Summit and related forums include discussions on regional trade, investment and other economic issues, as well as the selection of "smart cities" in the ASEAN bloc. For Thailand, Bangkok, the eastern Chon Buri Province and the southern Phuket Province will be proposed for the country's smart cities to be driven by innovations under the ASEAN framework", the deputy spokesman stated. According to the deputy spokesman, Thailand will introduce issues as the country's agenda during the ASEAN Chairman 2019, focused on the people-centered sustainable development in the region in all dimensions, especially in the human capital development, with no one to be left behind, aimed to pave the way for the establishment of an ASEAN center for the study of the sustainable development in the region. Besides, Thailand will promote expanding regional cooperation on concretely dealing with all forms of security threats through the enhanced and equal capacity and the joint management of border areas, the problem of climate change and related natural disasters, as well as cyber security among ASEAN member countries. The deputy spokesman revealed that Thailand also plans to move forward the regional economic integration through the promotion and support for the more reduction of regional trade barriers but boderless connectivity in transport, legal and other areas instead, as well as through the acceleration of negotiations under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and the further development of financial technology and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The deputy spokesman told reporters that Thailand will also pay attention to other key regional and global issues affecting the security and economic stability in the ASEAN Community (AC) and the Asian-Pacific region, namely the situation in the Rakhine State in Myanmar, in the South China Sea and in the Korean Peninsula, through forging more regional cooperation on coping with the challenges. (TNA)