The 38th and 39th ASEAN summits were held on 26 October 2021. In which ASEAN member states and the Secretary General of ASEAN, as well as the Prime Minister of Thailand, General Prayut Chan-o-cha, participated through videoconferencing. The meeting was presided over by His Majesty the Sultan of Brunei, Haji Hassanal Bolkiah. The meeting reaffirmed ASEAN’s commitment to advance the ASEAN community in line with Brunei Darussalam’s ASEAN presidency theme “We Care, We Prepare, We Prosper”, and stressed the need for ASEAN to strengthen its cooperation.
Through this meeting, the Prime Minister emphasized the need for ASEAN’s commitment to take the ASEAN community forward.
PM Prayut highlighted 3 key elements.
- To enhance public health cooperation for COVID-19 in ASEAN. This includes procurement of COVID-19 vaccines for ASEAN citizens.
- To ensure the safe reopening of the region by effectively operating the ASEAN Travel Corridor Arrangement Framework to facilitate visits between ASEAN member states, in addition to creating a conducive environment for trade and investment and expanding business opportunities.
- Prime Minister Prayut also stressed on promoting economic development that is sustainable and environmentally friendly, in line with Thailand’s BCG economy model. They also supported the “ASEAN Green Agenda” which includes areas of cooperation such as clean energy, sustainable use of natural resources, digital inclusion, and sustainable urbanization and green financing.
Proposals were agreed to hold an ASEAN-China summit to mark 30 years of relations between all the countries. The meeting exchanged views on regional developments including the South China Sea, the Trilateral Security Partnership between Australia, the UK and the US (AUKUS).
Prime Minister Prayut highlights three more main issues
- Welcomed ASEAN’s decision to accept the United Kingdom as ASEAN’s dialogue partner.
- Second, ASEAN should maintain its centrality in the regional architecture and employ the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP).
- Third, ASEAN may consider new innovative approaches to engage with China and the US to allow them to find commonalities on issues such as climate change and human capital development.
The PM also spoke on the situation in Myanmar at the conference, adding that Thailand wants to see back the democratic process in Myanmar. In addition, Thailand has already provided humanitarian assistance to the people of Myanmar through ASEAN and bilateral channels and expressed the hope that humanitarian aid will continue and be distributed to all parties. Prime Minister Prayut also emphasized the importance of ASEAN solidarity, which ASEAN member states must uphold.