KUALA LUMPUR, 27 April 2015 – Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has voiced support for the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) in the process of establishing a rules-based ASEAN Community.
Prime Minister Prayut today gave an address during the meeting between ASEAN leaders and AIPA representatives at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center in Malaysia. Among the AIPA representatives was Mr Pornpetch Wichitcholchai, President of the National Legislative Assembly, who participated in the event on Thailand’s behalf.
According to Government Spokesperson Yongyuth Mayalarp, Gen Prayut cited AIPA as a major contributor to the development of rules-based systems for the realization of the ASEAN Community. He noted that the Assembly is playing two significant roles, the first of which being to bridge the ASEAN Community and its people, especially the poor and the underprivileged, through the promotion of understanding regarding the regional integration.
With better understanding, the people will be aware of the benefits they will receive and be more inclined to partake in building the ASEAN Community, thus creating a truly people-centered system.
The other main role of AIPA, the premier said, is to support the parliament of each ASEAN member country in drafting new laws or amending existing ones in a bid to bring about prompt enactment of various agreements under the ASEAN Framework and foster harmony in the laws of member states for more effectiveness.
The Thai premier concluded his speech by emphasizing the country’s willingness to cooperate with AIPA in the building of the ASEAN Community as well as full readiness to serve as the chair of AIPA between October 1, 2016 and September 30, 2019.
