Kuala Lumpur: Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra and ASEAN leaders participated in the signing ceremony of the "Kuala Lumpur Declaration on ASEAN 2045: Planning Our Shared Future," endorsing the draft ASEAN Community Vision 2045.
According to Thai News Agency, the ceremony took place at 5:15 p.m. local time at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center. The Malaysian Prime Minister initiated the event with a speech before inviting the ASEAN leaders on stage to sign the declaration. As the ASEAN Chair in 2025, the Malaysian Prime Minister was the first to sign, followed by the President of the Philippines, the ASEAN Chair in 2026, and other member countries in alphabetical order. Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra signed as the sixth representative after Singapore.
Following the signing, the Malaysian Prime Minister presented the signed declaration to the ASEAN Secretary-General. The leaders then participated in the traditional ASEAN Way handshake for a group photo. The ASEAN Community Vision 2045 document, titled 'ASEAN 2045: Our Shared Future,' aims to consolidate strategic plans covering political, security, economic, socio-cultural, and connectivity aspects to strengthen the ASEAN Community.
The vision is expected to benefit Thailand by enhancing relations and cooperation among ASEAN member states and with external countries. It focuses on key areas such as safety, security, labor development, public health, connectivity, sustainable infrastructure, and climate change, aligning with Thailand's government policies and ongoing initiatives.