ASEAN members urged to work together towards 4.0 era

BANGKOK, March 23 (TNA) - Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai has urged all member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to work together towards the 4.0 era. Delivering a keynote speech on "50 years Thailand and ASEAN" on Thursday, as part of the TU-ASEAN Expo 2017 organized at Thammasat University in Bangkok during March 23-24, Don said all ASEAN fellow member countries, including Thailand, should move forward and work together in the ongoing transitional period, from the 3.0 to the more advance 4.0 era. Don pointed out that the joint move is in accordance with the ASEAN Economic Community Blueprint 2025 (AEC Blueprint 2025), which is focused on regional cooperation on the digital sector, covering creative innovations, as well as on agricultural and health issues. Don acknowledged that Thailand was among five ASEAN founding member countries, together with Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore when ASEAN was established on August 8, 1967 and has played outstanding roles for the development of the now 10-member bloc, including a joint drive towards the establishment of the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA) in 1992, leading to rising intra-regional trade. Besides, Thailand was behind a proactive move to welcome Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Vietnam to become fellow members of ASEAN in the 1990s and the four new members, also known as the CLMV group, are playing more significant roles in the region, especially in trade and investment. As Thailand sits on a strategic center in ASEAN, the foreign minister called on a further national development in terms of skills of human resources and a clear vision towards peaceful and efficient co-existence in the region. The Thai foreign minister also urged all ASEAN member countries to learn from the European Union (EU) as a good lesson to drive forward the 10-member bloc staunchly. (TNA) .