Regional leaders at the plenary session of the 37th ASEAN Summit on November 12 (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - Thai Prime Minister andDefence Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has attended the opening and plenary sessionof the 37th ASEAN Summit, held online on November 12 and chaired by Vietnam.
According to Thai Government spokesperson AnuchaBurapachaisri, while addressing the plenary session PM Prayut stressed thatCOVID-19 prevention and control is still an important task that ASEAN membercountries should focus on.
He underlined the significance of solidarity within ASEANin bringing the region out of this crisis.
The Thai Government leader proposed four major issuesthat the grouping should work together to tackle, including the strengtheningof cooperation in public health, especially in producing and delivering avaccine against COVID-19 to all people at a reasonable price.
He said Thailand is willing to share its success with otherASEAN members in seeking anti-coronavirus drugs and vaccines. He suggested the useof the ASEAN fund for COVID-19 response to support the distribution of thevaccine in the region and also reiterated its offer to host the ASEAN Centrefor Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases.
The Thai leader underlined that ASEAN can only recoverand adapt to the “new normal” when all countries engage in joint efforts forcomprehensive recovery. He said that Thailand supports the ASEAN Comprehensive Recovery Framework aswell as the ASEAN Tourism Agreement.
ASEAN should prepare tobuild long-term resilience against new challenges by strengthening the basicprinciples of the region through stronger regional integration and links in supplychains as well as transparent measures relating to trade, he said.
He also stressed the needfor the bloc to work together in maintaining regional stability to create a favourableenvironment for the tackling of COVID-19 and for economic recovery.
Concluding his speech, the ThaiPM congratulated Vietnam on its success as ASEAN Chair this year and in leadingthe association through the pandemic in a united manner. Thailand will providefull support to Brunei, the next ASEAN Chair, in efforts to build resilienceagainst different challenges for a stronger ASEAN Community, he said.
The 37th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits kicked off onlinein Hanoi on November 12.
Founded in 1967, ASEAN groups together ten membercountries: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, thePhilippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam./.
VNA
