Summary of Weekly Press Briefing by

Director-General of Department of Information/Spokesperson of MFA

Friday 11 October 2024 at 14.30 hrs.

Buakaew Conference Room, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and MFA FB/TIKTOK Live

1. Situation in the Middle East

• There are reports of ongoing military activities and violence in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, in Lebanon, as well as air strikes on Syria, and missile attacks into Israel. Given the possibility of further attacks on countries within the region, flight cancellations by some major airlines have been announced.
• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to reiterate that we, along with the Royal Thai Embassies in the area, are following and assessing developments in the Middle East very closely.
• MFA and the Embassies have plans to respond to various contingencies, including for evacuation.
• Let me emphasise that, given the volatility of the situation, the MFA urges Thai nationals who are still in high-risk areas to consider leaving those areas while it is still possible. Those who will be travelling to the affected areas, especially the north of Israel and Lebanon, are also urged to postpone or reconsider your plans.

1. Effects of Hurricane Milton in the United States

• As you will have seen, Hurricane Milton, which made landfall in Florida on 9 October has resulted in strong winds, flash flooding, widespread power outages, and a number of fatalities.
• The Royal Thai Embassy in Washington D.C. has been monitoring the hurricanes, Milton being the third to have occurred in Florida this year. Based on coordination with Thai Temples and communities in the area, up to now there are no reports of Thai nationals among those who have lost their lives or have been injured. However, the Embassy will continue to follow up closely on the effects on Thais living in the low-lying coastal areas, who have been affected by the electricity outages and flooding.

1. The 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and Related Summits

• On 9 October, Her Excellency the Prime Minister, accompanied by His Excellency the Minister of Foreign Affairs, attended the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits, in Vientiane.
• The 44th ASEAN Summit (Plenary) was held under the theme 'ASEAN: Enhancing Connectivity and Resilience'. As ASEAN Co-ordinator for Sustainability, Thailand reaffirmed our regional leadership role in addressing challenges such as Climate Change, Environmental Protection and Conservation, and Cross-Border Pollution including haze and PM2.5, highlighting a people-centred ASEAN Community. We also raised issues of Human Security, Food and Energy Security, and Transnational Crimes, particularly narcotics and online scams, as well as Disaster Management.
• Discussions at the 45th ASEAN Summit (Retreat) focused on regional and international security issues. All Member States reaffirmed ASEAN Centrality, and agreed to tackle challenges together with one voice. Thailand proposed that an 'Extended Informal Consultation' be held in December this year at Thailand, on the topic of South China Sea, the situation in the Middle East, and the situation in Myanmar.
• On 10 October, the PM and FM attended numerous summits, namely; the 27th ASEAN - China Summit, the 25th ASEAN - ROK Summit, celebrating the 35th anniversary of ASEAN - Republic of Korea relations, the 27th ASEAN - Japan Summit, and the 27th ASEAN Plus Three Summit. In her statements, the PM stressed the importance of ASEAN solidarity in addressing regional challenges, elevation and integration of relations with Dialogue Partners, with emphasis on advancing towards a digital society, sustainable and creative economic development, food and water security, addressing cross-border challenges, and promoting people-to-people relations.
• Other Summits attended at high-level by the Thai delegation include; the 4th ASEAN - Australia Summit, the 21st ASEAN - India Summit, the ASEAN - Canada Special Summit on Enhancing ASEAN Connectivity and Resilience, the ASEAN Leaders' Interface with ASEAN-Business Advisory Council, as well as the ASEAN Leaders' Interface with Representatives of ASEAN Youth.
• The PM and FM also held a number of bilateral meetings, including with the President of the ROK, Prime Ministers of Canada, Malaysia, Vietnam, China, and the US Secretary of State, as well as the World Economic Forum Founder and Chairman, on issues of common interest.

1. Human Rights Council Elections for the 2025 - 2027 term

• On 9 October 2024, Thailand was elected as a member of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) for the term 2025-2027, competing with six other countries: the Marshall Islands, Cyprus, Qatar, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and Thailand. Thailand received the highest number of votes in the Asia-Pacific group, with 177 votes.
• Several factors for the said success include:
  • Thailand announced its candidacy early and engaged in continuous vote exchanges, which included seeking and utilizing opportunities for cross-framework and pre-election vote exchanges.
  • Thailand has made significant human rights advancements over the past two years, despite some challenges, including the enactment of The Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance Act B.E. 2565 (2022), the Amendment of the Civil and Commercial Code regarding of legalizing same-sex marriage (Marriage Equality Act), and the policy expansion of the Universal Health Coverage policy.
  • Strong and engaging bilateral relations at all levels.
  • Besides, Thailand has clear branding as a bridge-builder among different member states, with attempts to seek solutions and build consensus, as well as Thailand's progressive views on many issues, similar to those of developed countries, while also understanding the social, religious, and cultural contexts of developing countries.

Watch the full session at: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/FTaBJiaoY9QExtAG/?mibextid=WC7FNe

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