The Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Sihasak Phuangketkeow, has updated the progress of Thailand’s political situation to high-level officials from New Zealand and the People’s Republic of China during the ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting in Yangon, Myanmar.
According to a report from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Permanent Secretary met Mr. Liu Zhenmin, Vice Foreign Minister of the People’s Republic of China. They discussed important regional issues including the situation in the South China Sea.
China hoped that the situation would not affect ASEAN as a whole. Thailand, as country coordinator for ASEAN-China relations, expressed the need to move forward the implementation of the Declaration of the Conduct of Parties and Code of Conduct in South China Sea, which China fully supported.
With regard to the current political situation in Thailand, China viewed it as internal affairs of Thailand and would like all parties to reconcile the differences and bring stability back to Thailand.
During the bilateral meeting with Mrs. Stephanie Lee, Senior Official of ASEAN and ARF Asia-Pacific Regional Integration Division, the Permanent Secretary updated the progress of Thailand’s current political situation. He stressed that what Thailand was seeking to achieve in the long term was the sustainable democracy as the situation in Thailand earlier was not viable and the government had not fully functioned for many years.
This objective is reflected in the actions and announcement of a roadmap by the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), with the aim to move the country towards reform and a sustainable democracy.
Thus, Thailand hopes that its friends will not judge Thailand by using one viewpoint about democracy and election, as each country is different and would like other countries to view the long term relationship with Thailand as well as the long term mutual benefits.
