BANGKOK, Aug 7 – Thai ambassadors spoke their views on the country’s stance in the world arena, following the ongoing Meeting of Thai Ambassadors and Consuls-General from Aug 3-8 held by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the capital.
Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Thailand to the United Nations Norachit Sinhaseni said Thailand will play an important role in the international arena.
In the next three years, the country will apply to become a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), and will also run for seat as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) in the next four years.
Only elections will not be sufficient, he said Thailand must be ready to tackle its problems, while admitting that the southern unrest will affect the country’s image.
Mr Norachit noted government policies affirm Thailand’s readiness to cooperate in different issues on the world stage such as security, peace, human rights, international crime, and combating drugs.
Thai Ambassador to Beijing Wiboon Khusakul said the government’s policies delivered at the meeting regarding ambassadors to find more markets and expand the value of Thai trade can be applied immediately, particularly expanding agricultural exports.
The official visits of Thailand’s prime minister to China and several top Chinese officials to Bangkok resulted in more collaboration between the two nations, especially on tax reduction.
Mr Wiboon said the meeting noted China as a large market, and that Thailand could definitely penetrate such a market. Plans to develop fruit markets in China for a higher quality will be set up to support higher purchasing power and add trade value.
Thailand will also have an advantage once the communication network in the ASEAN region is complete, for it can transport fruit to China at lower cost, while attracting Chinese travellers to spend more money in Thailand is targeted in the tourism sector.
Top envoys from 96 Thai embassies and consulates-general worldwide arrived in Bangkok for the meeting to discuss the government’s foreign policy and Thailand’s position in the world arena.
The envoys will also discuss with the Thai private sector during the six-day meeting, while those posted in Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam are meeting with governors from the 20 northeastern provinces.
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra spoke at the opening ceremony Monday to give policy guidelines to the Thai diplomats, and Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha joined the meeting in her role as Ambassador/Chairperson of the United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ).
The last meeting was held in 2008.
To coincide with the gathering, foreign and interior ministries co-sponsored an OTOP (One Tambon One Product) products fair to be promoted by Thai diplomatic missions worldwide.
