Thailand has called on the European Union (EU) and its member states to recognize the ongoing efforts from all sectors of Thai society to bring about national reconciliation, which will foster an environment conducive to sustainable democracy, as laid out in the three-phase roadmap.
The Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs and Acting Foreign Minister, Mr. Sihasak Phuangketkeow, held a press conference after a meeting with Mr. Jesus Miguel Sanz, EU Ambassador to Thailand, on the conclusions adopted by the EU Foreign Affairs Council regarding the situation in Thailand.
The Permanent Secretary stated that Thailand is disappointed by the EU’s measures, which have not taken into account the positive developments in Thailand since 22 May 2014, including the restoration of peace and order, the continuation of the national administration, and most importantly, the restoration of normalcy in Thai society.
The Permanent Secretary reiterated to the EU ambassador that EU should reconsider the suspension of official visits to and from Thailand and the decision not to sign the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA), with a view for the long-term mutual interest.
According to a report from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during the Q&A session, the press asked whether the EU would apply any economic sanctions to Thailand or not, to which the Permanent Secretary insisted that trade and investment between EU countries and Thailand would continue.
The measures from the EU will not affect Thailand’s participation in the multilateral meetings, including the ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting in Brussels in July 2014 and the ASEM Summit in Milan in October 2014.
The Permanent Secretary stated that the Foreign Ministry has been working closely with the EU, and he himself had met several ambassadors from EU countries to explain the political situation in Thailand.
In parallel, Thai diplomatic missions in European countries have continuously provided information and developments on the situation to their respective host governments.
