YouSaid · the spoken record

Don Pramudwinai

lines on the record: 62
first: 2008-09-24
most recent: 2022-09-24
sittings or episodes: 4
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“Separately or in a series, they could serve as a most appropriate platform for talks to provide a possible off-ramp or exit to the high-tension global crisis in Ukraine. The world body, the United Nations, with all its relevant roles and mechanisms to help safeguard peace and stability, could certainly join in at any juncture to add value to that endeavour. Let us therefore hope that that golden opportunity is not passed up by all the super-Powers and super-stakeholders with regard to the high-tension Ukraine crisis.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Let us say a tiger in that context. Riding on the tiger’s back could be fun and challenging, but no one could enjoy riding on its back with no end in sight. The question is how to safely dismount without killing the tiger. Suddenly, the question of “how to” is daunting. We have a suggestion that takes all elements into account and is definitely not free of realpolitik. A possible breakthrough could be apparent during the month of November, with the third week of the penultimate month of the year as our first and golden opportunity for all super-stakeholders in the Ukraine crisis to assemble at three venues in South-East Asia as legitimate participants. The three venues are one in Phnom Penh for the ASEAN Summit, another in Bali for the Group of 20 and the third in Bangkok for the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Despite the challenges and difficulties at this critical juncture in the history of humankind, Thailand continues to have faith in the multilateral system, with the United Nations at its core. We remain confident that the goodwill and shared common interests of humankind will help us to make the right decisions at this watershed moment so that we can move together towards a more stable, sustainable and safer future, with no person or country left behind. Let me now add this very brief account to end my statement. A few days ago, a sentiment was expressed by the European Union foreign policy chief when he said that we should not rule out the possibility of the use of nuclear weapons in the Ukraine crisis. An oriental saying that could be related to that context pertains to the enjoyment of riding a beast, whether it be a tiger or a dragon.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Thailand also firmly believes that close regional cooperation can complement the multilateral system and reinforce the global agenda. This year, Thailand plays host to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, which is meeting under the theme “Open. Connect. Balance”. Such a theme signifies the willingness to embrace every opportunity, connect in all dimensions and balance in all aspects. That highlights Thailand’s commitment to promoting multilateral cooperation, which will hopefully lead to more balanced and sustainable development after the COVID-19 pandemic. We look forward to welcoming world leaders to Bangkok in November, as Thailand is fully open and ready to welcome visitors once again.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Thailand will continue to play an active and constructive role to support that ASEAN process, as well as the role of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General on Myanmar. As a strong believer in multilateralism, Thailand stands ready to continue to do its part to promote multilateral and international cooperation at all levels. Sustainable development and human rights are intertwined and mutually reinforcing. They are vital in ensuring an environment of peace and prosperity. Thailand hereby presents its candidacy for membership of the Human Rights Council for the term from 2025 to 2027. If elected, we can help to strengthen the Human Rights Council and its mechanisms so as to reach out to the vulnerable and those furthest behind and bring about meaningful and real positive changes on the ground.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Financial contributions were also made to support the work of international organizations, such as UNICEF, WHO, WFP and the International Committee of the Red Cross. As an immediate neighbour, with the longest land border, of 2,470 kilometres, it is in Thailand’s vital interests to see a quick return to peace and stability in Myanmar. We call on all parties in Myanmar to urgently take steps to de-escalate, end the violence and engage in meaningful talks to resolve differences peacefully. Thailand fully supports the constructive role of ASEAN and believes that ASEAN is best placed to help Myanmar through the time-tested ASEAN practice of consultation, cooperation and consensus.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Thailand will continue to work closely with the international community, taking into account the needs of the affected country, in order to address urgent humanitarian challenges through bilateral, regional and multilateral efforts, in accordance with the key humanitarian principles and without politicization. We have supported humanitarian work in Afghanistan through the World Food Programme (WFP) and have contributed to Ukraine through the Ukrainian Red Cross Society and UNICEF. As for Myanmar, Thailand has worked with partners to provide humanitarian assistance to the people in need through various programmes at the bilateral level, including the donation of 1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines and through ASEAN.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Meanwhile, the pledges of developed countries must also be fulfilled. I urge developed countries to keep their promise of providing financial, technological and capacity-building support to developing countries and to deliver on the climate-financing goal of $100 billion annually as soon as possible. Equal attention should be paid to mitigation and adaptation. Thailand stands ready to work with Egypt and all partners at COP27 in that regard. We need to restore faith and confidence in the multilateral system and our United Nations. An important step to achieving that is to reverse the polarization in this organ by working more closely on issues that bring us together. Addressing humanitarian concerns is one such issue.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“In tackling climate change, Thailand stands firm in our pledge at last year’s twenty-sixth Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and net-zero greenhouse-gas emissions by 2065. And with adequate support, Thailand will be able to increase its nationally determined contributions or targets to 40 per cent while achieving net-zero greenhouse-gas emissions by 2050. That is not an empty promise. Thailand will submit our nationally determined contributions and long-term low greenhouse-gas emission development strategies that reflect those goals ahead of the twenty-seventh Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27), to be held in Sharm El-Sheikh.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“The BCG Economy Model utilizes science, technology and innovation to encourage the optimization of resources for environmentally friendly economic growth. In pursuing sustainable development, we need to ensure balance between our people-centred approaches and protecting our planet. To that end, Thailand is ready to work with the international community in order to contain the triple planetary crises of climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss. Thailand is committed to promoting international cooperation for the protection of the environment, including on the negotiations on the post-2020 global biodiversity framework and the international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“Thailand’s hosting of the Global South- South Development Expo with ESCAP and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation in Bangkok last week also demonstrates the importance we place on development cooperation, especially among developing countries. Furthermore, financing for development and finding innovative sources of finance are key to transforming SDGs from mere aspirations to a reality for all. Thailand agrees with the Secretary-General’s proposal to promote cooperation with leading global financial institutions in order to mobilize financing so as to drive forward the SDGs while improving financial liquidity for the least developed countries. To promote sustainable development, Thailand has adopted the Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) Economy Model as a means to achieve a more balanced development in this recovery phase.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“As we have only eight years left to attain the SDGs, we need to employ every tool at our disposal — from science, technology and innovation to working in partnership at every level in order to drive this agenda forward — because without sustainable development, there is no future. We need to promote North-South and South-South cooperation and the integration of the 2030 Agenda for sustainable peace with other cooperation frameworks, both at the global and regional levels. That is why the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are working to enhance the complementarity between the 2030 Agenda for sustainable peace and the ASEAN Vision 2025.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“The new instrument must place equity at the centre in order to ensure the self-reliance of developing countries when faced with pandemics, especially through enhancing their capacity to manufacture certain medical countermeasures. With better food and health security, we will be better positioned to putting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) back on track. In doing so, a human-rights-based approach is needed in order to ensure that the rights and basic needs of all persons are guaranteed, especially those of the most vulnerable and furthest behind. That will help enhance our resilience and capacity to cope with future crises. SDGs serve as both the pathway and the end goal in ensuring the survival of our present and future generations.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“We must continue to promote and protect the right to receive the highest attainable standard of health as part of our commitment to human rights. We must continue to invest in promoting a more inclusive social protection system for all, as called for by the Secretary-General in Our Common Agenda (A/75/982). To reinforce that, the global health architecture needs to be reformed, both structurally and functionally, in order to address the current shortcomings and systemic failures of health systems. And that is why Thailand fully supports the development of a legally binding international instrument on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response under the World Health Organization (WHO).”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“In that context, Thailand welcomes the Black Sea Grain Initiative, established by the United Nations, to open a safe corridor for grain transportation that would help ease a global food crisis. The Initiative further stresses the importance of international cooperation under the Organization’s framework in order to respond to new global challenges. In addition to overcoming food insecurity, we also need to overcome health insecurity. As we learned from the pandemic, good health for all is critical. And that is why universal health coverage should be a high priority for us all. We need to ensure access to high-quality essential health-care services and to safe, effective, high-quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for everyone.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“As such, there is an urgent need to strengthen multilateral action among like-minded partners, United Nations agencies, the World Trade Organization and international institutions in order to facilitate a constructive dialogue and improve policy coordination to address this crisis. It is now especially vital to keep our global supply chains open for seamless cross-border flows of food, fertilizers and essential goods, while also making our food systems more resilient so that equitable access to safe and healthy food for all can be guaranteed. Thailand is prepared to work in partnership with countries and international organizations in order to realize that vision.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“At a time when the world is trying to recover from the two years of the pandemic, our problems are compounded by multiple challenges. We are seeing new conflicts, on top of global geopolitical tensions. We are experiencing a food crisis, an energy crisis and a financing crisis. These have had the most detrimental impact on those who are most vulnerable — least developed countries, small island developing States and vulnerable groups, such as women, girls, the elderly and people with disabilities. Collective action is certainly needed now. The food crisis has affected us all. This global food insecurity is due to conflicts, climate change, disruptions to supply chains and uneven recovery from COVID-19.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“At the outset, I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to the President of the General Assembly at its seventy-seventh session and his entire team. I pledge Thailand’s full support as he undertakes to fulfil his important mission. We are at a watershed moment as an international community and as the United Nations. We stand at a point where the decisions we make and the actions we pursue can shape the world and the course of humankind for years to come. But we can only do it together, guided by our shared interests and on the basis of mutual respect. The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has only exacerbated inequality gaps and has reversed at least four years of development gains, according to the United Nations Development Programme.”
2022-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 77 (2022)
“If we fail to learn from history how to conduct ourselves differently, all shall be lost, including our collective future.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Throughout time, Thailand has conscientiously maintained its centrality, while promoting partnership via regionalism and multilateralism. History has shown us time and again that the great Powers are first in line to write the rules. History has also shown us that the privileges that come with great strength do have limits. Most importantly, privilege comes with even greater responsibility and accountability. Without due regard to the lessons that history has taught us, we shall remain trapped in the vicious circle that has brought this body into existence in the first place. We owe it to future generations to prevent history from repeating itself. To that end, Thailand has been trying to do its part, and we are certain that we are not alone. We would also like to believe that it is the reason why we are gathering in this Hall today.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“That is why Thailand has been promoting its people-centric national and international policy as an essential part of our economic and social development policies. Needless to say, each nation, individually and collectively, must put the balanced improvement of the livelihood of its people at the top of its priorities. We must foster the development model that aims at leaving no one behind. It is the duty of every Government and the United Nations to create and adopt an approach to growth that gives a chance to people at large, and not just a privileged few. To do otherwise would lead to the subsidence of the economic order and widespread calamity. Thailand is a country that geographically straddles two vast oceans — the Pacific and the Indian Oceans.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“The movement, including xenophobic populism, stems mainly from the disenfranchisement people feel from economic globalization, which in many cases leads to what the British economist William Forster Lloyd dubbed “the tragedy of the commons”. Many anti-globalization activists do not oppose globalization in general; they simply want to change the way it has been allowed to run unchecked, resulting in exclusion, alienation, human rights violations, unfair trade and development that is detrimental rather than beneficial to many segments of society. Military conflicts and extreme climate change, both of which trigger ravages and mass migration, exacerbate the rising distrust and disgruntlement that has been thrown into the mix of the anti-globalism narrative and actions.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“The onerous task for us is how to convince all nations, large and small, that in the face of our current tumultuous challenges, both traditional and technological, and for the sake of future generations, there is absolutely no room for winner-takes-all and zero-sum mindsets. We shall sink or swim together, not alone, and not at the expense of others drowning. It is a not such a bad cliche at this juncture to say that we are all in the same boat, all of us together. Lastly, we have to address the rising anti-globalization movement. It is the elephant in the room that the world can no longer afford to ignore.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“That leads us to our current dedicated efforts, which we are undertaking together with other ASEAN members, to push for partnership and turn conflicts into cooperation so that development and progress can be sustainable. This approach may sound too idealistic given the current global trend of choosing confrontation over dialogue to settle our differences, but, in fact, it is not. Essentially, it is the duty of all of us gathered in this Hall today to give partnership and cooperation a chance and prove that, with a different mindset, peace and common benefits can be achieved and sustained and that they are not mere reflections of an idealist’s zeal, with no practical wherewithal or real-life application.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“In fact, if the philosophy is adequately and wisely implemented, SDG 1, on poverty eradication, will no longer need to be part of the equation. In fact, as the Chair of the Group of 77 two years ago, Thailand shared this approach with the members of the Group. Striving for balance between development and progress and between social factors and coherence is inherent to the approach. Without balance, the road out of an economically deprived existence for millions of people will lead nowhere. The foregoing three issues have been among the pillars of our Government’s foreign policy. Equally important is our recognition that none of them can be achieved without preserving their underpinning prerequisites, namely, peace and stability.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“We also ratified the Paris Agreement on Climate Change, within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, because we believe that environmental crises are a global problem and that they therefore demand a global solution and a collaborative global effort. The acceleration of environmental degradation at rates never seen before obliges all of us to do more to right the wrongs we have committed against the environment. For so long, we have taken the sustenance of nature for granted, and nature has suffered boundlessly from both neglect and abuse. This time, nature is getting back at us, telling us this far but no further. As for the Sustainable Development Goals, Thailand has adopted the sufficiency economy philosophy espoused by our late King Rama IX, as its fundamental approach to the SDGs.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Providing health care is not an easy task considering the countless competing demands on our resources. It requires a balanced approach to managing budgets and setting priorities. It also requires unwavering political will on the part of the leadership to remain on track despite all the distracting claims against it. Our achievements speak volumes about Thailand’s commitment to the people-centric policy that aims at leaving no one behind. On climate change, as Chair of ASEAN, Thailand has pressed successfully for our regional grouping to adopt, for the first time, a collective stand on one of the most critical environmental disasters, namely, marine debris.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“These notions also entail inclusiveness and far-sightedness, through which the prisoner dilemma and lopsided short-term gain would be replaced with sustainable, long-term advancements that reflect the principles of shared interest and mutual benefit. At the margins of the opening of the seventy-fourth session, our Prime Minister attended three leadership events, thereby reflecting Thailand’s resolute commitment to the respective topics, namely, universal health coverage, climate change and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). For Thailand, these causes are not just abstract; we have realized them in earnest through the implementation of policies, because they matter so much to the livelihoods not only of our peoples but also of people around the world. Thailand now ranks sixth globally in terms of our health-care system.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“How successful we are in dealing with them will determine the future of humankind. Nations have no choice but to put our heads together — not against one another — so as to get through this latest round of trials and tribulations and come out ahead. That is one reason why Thailand, as Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this year, chose the theme of advancing partnership for sustainability to be the core focus of ASEAN’s goals and undertakings. Embedded in the notions of partnership and sustainability is the fundamental requirement of a mindset that calls for conflict to be turned into cooperation.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“And yet we still manage to dig in our heels in the trenches we ourselves dug, steadfastly clinging to posts that are extremely wide apart, often merely for myopic, self-serving reasons. Reaching out is considered weakness rather than strength. Meanwhile, the fourth industrial revolution has arrived, whether or not we are prepared for it, bringing with it an avalanche of technological advancements that will have far-reaching and weighty ramifications for all matters affecting our lives, livelihoods and future. More seriously, unlike the previous three industrial revolutions, the fourth will give us little or no time to adjust. Therefore, in addition to the worsening traditional challenges with which we are relatively familiar, we now have to overcome new, unfathomable non-traditional challenges in the realm of technology.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“These tautological notions are age-old, yet their achievement remains elusive. The thorniest question is not the why, but the how — specifically, how to meet those requisites and reach the desired objectives. The past few years have seen accelerating retrenchment from multinationalism to misguided nationalism, from globalization to anti-globalization, from free trade and a rising-tide-lifts-all-boats mentality to beggar-thy-neighbour policies and mercantilism. We have also been observing a worsening wealth gap, environmental degradation, segregation instead of inclusion and a winner-takes-all approach, all of which lead to conflict and confrontation. This is a great tragic irony because we are living in a world where connectivity and interconnection are the norm rather than the exception.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“On behalf of the proud nation of the Kingdom of Thailand, I would like to say to the Greta Thunberg generation of the world that we have heard their heartfelt plea to preserve and protect their planet and their livelihood. In fact, it is the duty of all of us who gather in this forum to demonstrate that we are trying in good faith to do our very best and that we will continue to do so. The world is witnessing a sea of change in many respects, and with it, challenges and opportunities abound. The twenty-first century is often described as the Age of Disruption. The question is whether we are all ready for it. Growth and prosperity require peace. Political and economic advancements require stability. Technology requires conscience. Environmental preservation requires hard work and sacrifice. Progress requires sustainability.”
2019-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 74 (2019)
“Last but not least, focusing on people is not only about working on their external conditions. The first step of a successful transformation is to work on their mindsets, especially those of children and youth. We must not forget them, and their voices must be heard — the future belongs to them. Therefore, we must ensure that children today grow up to become citizens of the world with global mindsets. Everyone can be an agent of change. If people have a decent life and feel content with what they have, eventually they will want to give and share. Our role as Governments is to support people, create an environment that enables them to be able to give and share, and let people drive change.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“We must ensure that local wisdom and community knowledge are appreciated and integrated into our efforts. We must create a culture of partnerships that is based on mutual trust and respect. For our part, Thailand recognizes and appreciates the diversity of strengths of each stakeholder. We value the sharing of knowledge and experiences. It is in that spirit that Thailand has launched the sufficiency economy philosophy for the SDGs partnership so as to encourage the sharing of the sufficiency economy philosophy in advancing the SDGs. As part of our efforts to promote South-South cooperation, last year Thailand supported the reopening of the United Nations Office for South- South Cooperation for Asia and the Pacific in Thailand and has provided human resources to the Office.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“It must also address the root cause of each problem, especially by addressing structural gaps and focusing more on prevention rather than on curing symptoms. We look forward to hearing more details on the United Nations development system reform and how it would impact action on the ground, enhance resource efficiency and synergize the work of regional commissions and United Nations country teams. We also wish to hear about innovative resource mobilization and enhanced partnerships with all stakeholders, especially the private sector, academia and civil society. Partnerships, particularly with science, technology and innovation communities, would bring about the transformative push that is required in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Secondly, we must learn to mobilize each of our diverse individual strengths.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“To sum up, my delegation would like to leave the Assembly with three key messages. First, multilateralism and the United Nations in particular, has a great role to play in fostering the quality of our people’s lives. The United Nations must take transformative steps to live up to today’s reality and expectations. Development programmes, financial and technical assistance, peace operations, security sanctions, resource mobilization, and environmental protection programmes must all truly enhance the quality of life of the people. The work of the United Nations must have real impact on the ground. The United Nations must be able to identify challenges based on the needs and particular situations of each country, and must be able to adapt its work in a responsive and flexible manner.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“We are fully aware of the complexities of humanitarian situations, which cannot be solved overnight. Those situations call for long-term political and socioeconomic solutions. Sustaining peace and sustaining development must go hand in hand. In order to enable people to have decent lives, we must build inclusive societies where everyone has a sense of belonging and feels that his/her voice is heard and their views taken into consideration. We must empower the most vulnerable in our societies — those suffering in poverty, women, children and persons with disabilities — and leave no one behind. Their rights and dignity must be respected. They must be protected by law and have equal access to justice. Only then can we realize a truly inclusive society with sustainable peace and development.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“It is at times like this that humankind is truly being tested. Two days ago Thailand signed and deposited our instrument of ratification to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. We are proud to be among the first countries to do so. We wish to call on others to do the same. By doing so, we are sending a message to our children and grandchildren that we care. Thailand shares the international community’s grave concern about the situation on the Korean peninsula, where we encourage all parties to find a peaceful solution, along with the full implementation of Security Council resolutions. Thailand is also deeply concerned about ongoing violence and conflicts elsewhere in the world, including the situation in Rakhine state, which recently caused hundreds of thousands of people to leave their homes.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Another recent example of how we focus on people is our national strategy to eliminate HIV/AIDS. By 2030, Thailand aims to reduce new HIV infections, lower the number of HIV/AIDS-related deaths and reduce discrimination related to HIV and gender. We are also proud to say that in 2016 the World Health Organization recognized Thailand as the first country in Asia, and the second country in the world, to eliminate mother- to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis. The world is going through a critical time and is facing a series of shared challenges, such as extremism, terrorism, ongoing conflicts and irregular migration, along with environmental degradation, climate change and natural disasters. Another grave concern is the nuclear threat, which is looming over us and feels more real now than ever before.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“The value-based economy under the Thailand 4.0 policy requires human wisdom even more than high technology. That is why we are focusing on our people and putting human life-cycle development as our priority. Since 2002, we have successfully embarked upon our universal health coverage system. That system represents an investment in our people and our future. At present, 99.87 per cent of the population enjoys some kind of health coverage. The Universal Health Coverage system has helped prevent more than 100,000 households from falling into poverty over the past decade. As Chair of the Foreign Policy and Global Health Initiative, Thailand will present a draft resolution at this session of the General Assembly to mark 12 December as World Universal Health Coverage Day. We hope to receive support from Member States in that regard.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“Thailand has stepped up efforts to put in place a decentralized area-based development policy to empower those who will be affected and create a space to appreciate local wisdom and knowledge. At the same time, Thailand is seeking to utilize science, technology and innovation to strengthen human capabilities and foster an enabling environment in our development paradigm. Currently, we aim to build a value-based economy under the Thailand 4.0 policy. The value-based economy encompasses various types of economy: a circular economy, in which resources are utilized efficiently and in an environmentally friendly manner; a distributive economy, where development is inclusive; and an innovative economy, where growth springs from ideas and knowledge.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“His Majesty laid the groundwork for the people-centred approach through the “sufficiency economy” philosophy, which stresses self-development and places emphasis on everyone’s potential to mould their own future and live in harmony with nature. When each person can contribute meaningfully to his or her community, the life of the nation will surely be good. Based on the sufficiency economy philosophy, the Royal Thai Government envisions the lives of our people and the life of our nation as stable, prosperous and sustainable. Our key national frameworks, namely, the 2017 Constitution, the 20-year National Strategy Framework and the twelfth National Economic and Social Development Plan, have all been formulated to focus on people first.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“The life, survival and prosperity of a nation depend on the quality of life of its people. When people live decent lives, they thrive and, in turn, nations and our planet prosper. On the other hand, if people still have to struggle in their daily lives, have nothing to eat, nowhere to sleep, no schooling or health-care access, then the advancement of nations would be an unrealizable ambition. That is why we must focus on people. In fact, we have long focused on the people of Thailand. Our late King, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, told us to listen to the people and to learn from them. He said that those living in the community know best about their conditions and needs. Development must not be top-down but bottom-up and must vary according to specific contexts.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“I believe that I speak on behalf of everyone here when I say that our hearts and prayers are with everyone in the small States of the Caribbean, now facing the devastating effects of a series of hurricanes. Our deepest sympathy and prayers are also with the people of Mexico, who have suffered immensely from the deadly earthquake on Tuesday. Over the past few days, the words “we the peoples” have been echoed in the General Assembly many times. Thailand shares the view of Secretary-General Guterres and many Member States that we need to focus more on people and less on bureaucracy. The United Nations must be less about debates and more about actions that truly impact changes on the ground. In the General Assembly this year, it is gratifying to hear world leaders focusing on people.”
2017-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 72 (2017)
“The things that we share in our world are far more valuable than those which divide us.””
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“We need to reclaim the ideals of “We the peoples of the United Nations” in order to work together, to resolve our common problems and to survive. It has never been more imperative for the Members of this Organization to put aside for a moment our narrow self-interest and come together to forge solutions that are in the interest of us all. The United Nations can only be what the collective membership wishes it to be. “We the peoples of the United Nations” have a choice to make. Let what one astronaut gazing at planet Earth from a space station once said serve to remind us all of our collective responsibility: “For those who have seen the Earth from space, and for the hundreds and perhaps thousands more who will, the experience most certainly changes your perspective.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“Thailand will carry forward the work of the previous ASEAN Chair, Singapore, to realize the dream of the ASEAN founding fathers of transforming South-East Asia from a community of good neighbours into one ASEAN community, where the feeling of “we the peoples of ASEAN” takes root. The world will benefit from having a more rules-based, effective, predictable and people-centred ASEAN as a partner. Through greater integration with the regional countries 08-53141 30 in Asia, ASEAN can become a natural bridge that connects China and India, the two emerging global economic centres of the twenty-first century, with a combined market size of billions of people. We believe that it is not too much or too far-fetched to see a new, modern silk road passing through ASEAN. Allow me to conclude the same way I started.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“The upcoming fourteenth ASEAN Summit will take place in Bangkok under the theme “ASEAN Charter for ASEAN peoples” to mark a new era for ASEAN, with people at the heart of our cooperation. As Chairman of ASEAN, Thailand has launched a “three Rs” campaign. First, we want to realize the purposes and vision of the Charter. That includes the realization of an ASEAN human rights body, one of the new organs envisaged in our Charter. Secondly, we will revitalize the people-centred nature of our community in order to enhance their participation in building an ASEAN community. Thirdly, we will reinforce ASEAN cooperation to better contribute to the well-being of our peoples, especially in the areas of human development and security.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“Faced with the challenge of the aftermath of Cyclone Nargis, ASEAN had to make a choice between doing nothing and losing its credibility, or doing something and being seen as a force to be reckoned with. ASEAN chose the latter. Acting as a bridge between Myanmar and the international community, ASEAN has successfully forged a working tripartite partnership between ASEAN, Myanmar and the United Nations. That partnership has continued to work effectively to this day and could serve as a model for future humanitarian partnerships in other parts of the world. Through that process, ASEAN has once again proven its effectiveness and resilience. ASEAN has also made another choice — an important and profound one. ASEAN is moving towards being a rules-based and people-centred organization, with the signing of the ASEAN Charter this past year.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)
“We therefore have a collective responsibility on this issue. The choice is clear and has been made. When the world gathered to discuss climate change at the Bali Conference in December last year, the world chose collective responsibility over collective irresponsibility. Thailand will spare no effort to work actively with all parties to ensure that the journey that started under the Bali road map last year can be realized at the Copenhagen conference scheduled for next year. This is a critical time that requires critical action by all parties. Time is simply not on our side. There is a saying that, in every storm, every cloud has a silver lining. That is true for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), of which Thailand is a member.”
2008-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 63 (2008)