วันจันทร์ที่ 15 พฤศจิกายน 2564
Remarks By H.E. General Prayut Chan-o-Cha, Prime Minister of Thailand at APEC Leaders’ Summit
Remarks By H.E. General Prayut Chan-o-Cha, Prime Minister of Thailand at APEC Leaders’ Summit
Kia Ora,
Sawasdee Madam Chair,
Your Majesty,
APEC Leaders,
I wish to command the host for the excellent arrangements made for this meeting and other meetings throughout the year.Since we last met in July, the world has taken a turn for the better. Around the world, including in the Asia Pacific, we are starting to catch glimpses of amore normal post-pandemic future. And although the threat of the virus remains, there isevery possibility that we can live with it and push through the crisis. Vaccinationrollouts continue to progress. And Thailand has already administered 83 million doses of vaccines and aims to reach 100 million doses within November, including for foreign residents, foreign entrepreneurs and migrant workers. And preparations have also been made for next year, from self-procured vaccines. And in this connection, I also wish to thank our friends around the world for their donations. Also the World Bank and the IMF have reported that Thailand has used fiscal and monetary policy to support recovery amounting to more than 10 percentof our GDP. So our economies are gradually recovering. And Thailand has placed emphasis on reopening our borders and reviving tourism, taking into account both the health and economic dimensions. So we need to ride on this positive momentum to accelerate recovery and transform our economies for long-term growth.
To that end, in my view, APEC should prioritize the following three issues.
First and most immediate,we need to reconnect. Toaccelerateeconomic recovery, we need to support our people and business communities, including MSMEs, women entrepreneursand vulnerable groups, by focusing on reducing inequalities and poverty, in a sustainablemanner, in line with His Majesty King Rama the IX’s Sufficiency Economy Philosophy and New Theory Agriculture, which we have treasured, preserved and built on till today.Our people need to be able to travel cross-border again, in a safe and seamless manner. And they will not be able todo so in the absence of governments’ support. On this note, we stillsee the merits of acommon travel arrangementin facilitating and stimulating international travel and tourism among APEC economies.Thailand is fully committed to this priority. Our borders have been open to overseas travelers since the beginning of November and we are doing so taking due and rigorous regard to public health measures. And our first APEC meeting in December will be in person. It will be a challenge, but we will move forward and give APEC additional dynamism. Thailand has been working hard to advance connectivity in the region, and we will continue to work with all economies throughout our host year, with a view to delivering tangible outcomes on safe passage.
Second,we need to rejuvenate trade and investment, inorderto facilitate recovery and catalyse growth. APEC must continue to take the lead in advancingfree and open trade and investment, human resource development and labor development including up-skilling and re-skilling, promoting human rights as well as strengthening the rules-based multilateral trading system. APEC’s support and strong signal to the upcoming 12thWTO Ministerial Conference will provide a crucial impetus for the delivery of tangible results.
Within the region, APEC must continue its efforts todeepen regional economic integration, with a view to realizing theFree-Trade Area of the Asia-Pacificagenda. Thailand believes thereis an opportunity to rethink our conversations on the FTAAP, through a post-COVID lens, and taking into consideration new and emerging issues, such as digital and technological transformation.
Third, we musttransform our economiesfor long-term growth that issustainable, balanced and inclusiveand do so together. Last week, the COP26 Summit saw world leaders reaffirm their collective conviction to advancing sustainability and climate action. AndI was pleased to join them and shared Thailand’s ambitious targetsoncarbon neutralityand net zero greenhouse gas emissions, as well asThailand’spledge to innovate and optimize renewable resources, turn waste into wealth and value, advance sustainable and responsible production and consumption, and accelerate the green transition. Hence, thebio-circular-green or BCG economyconcept, which provides us with a pathway to bring about a paradigm shift towards a more balanced and sustainable post-COVID future, for the benefit of all our people and future generations.
APEC has long advocated the promotion of economic andenvironmental policies that are mutually reinforcing. And APEC has also committed itself to global efforts to tackle climate change and other serious environmental challenges. On this basis, there is tremendous potential for APEC to strengthen its efforts in translating these commitments into tangible actions and outcomes. And in the coming year, Thailand is determined to bring our experience to bear on advancing APEC’s work on sustainable and inclusive growth going forward.
Madam Chair,
APEC Leaders,
COVID-19 has forced APEC to navigate through troubled watersthis year. But we have managed to make progress on several important issues. Most notably, in delivering theImplementation Planto translate the Putrajaya Vision 2040 into concrete actions. And this is due, in no small part, to the able leadership of our host, New Zealand. So, I thank you, Madam Chair and the New Zealand team for the job well done. Thailand is determined to build on your accomplishments, and will continue to work closely with all economies in the next year- to advance the post-COVID future, for the shared prosperity of our region and people.
And last but not least, I welcome and support the offers made by the United States and Peru to host APEC in 2023 and 2024 respectively. Thank you. Sawasdee krab.
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