Bangkok: Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul called on Southeast Asian nations to strengthen unity and build tangible foundations for peace and security amid shifting global trade and geopolitical divisions at the 3rd ASEAN Future Forum on Tuesday. Anutin stated that ASEAN has the potential to remain one of the world's most stable investment destinations if member states maintain "ASEAN Centrality" and balance national interests with regional ones.
According to Thai News Agency, to boost regional resilience, the Prime Minister urged accelerated economic and digital integration, welcoming the expected signing of the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement (DEFA) later this year. He also promoted Thailand's Southern Landbridge project as an alternative global supply chain route and offered to supply aviation fuel from Thailand's surplus capacity to support regional energy security.
Anutin stressed that ASEAN's success must be measured by tangible benefits to its citizens' quality of life rather than the number of meetings held. He called for deeper cooperation against daily threats, including online scams, cybercrime, and natural disasters.
On bilateral ties, Anutin noted that Thailand and Cambodia are at a crucial juncture, expressing confidence that both nations can resolve shared challenges through political will and constructive dialogue.