Speaking at the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA81) in New York, Thailand’s Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul delivered statement under the theme “Restoring Trust, Managing Transformation: A United Nations that Delivers for All,” marking 80 years of Thai membership in the organization.
Addressing shifting global geopolitics, power fragmentation, and heightened strategic competition, the Prime Minister emphasized the urgent need to rebuild trust through consistent adherence to international law and equitable global governance.
PM Anutin voiced Thailand’s support for United Nations Security Council reform, advocating for a greater decision-making role for developing nations, the Global South, and Asia, while calling for elevated representation of women across the organization’s highest leadership levels.
On the economic front, Thailand reaffirmed its commitment to regional integration through ASEAN, leveraging its status as a regional logistical hub and manufacturing base to connect supply chains and foster co-creation across Asian markets. To further expand trade opportunities, the kingdom is pursuing free trade agreements (FTAs) across multiple regions and advancing its Thailand–Africa Initiative to deepen bilateral economic ties.
Nationally, Thailand is utilizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a blueprint for economic resilience, building on its agricultural foundation to strengthen global food security. Key domestic economic initiatives highlighted include expanding Universal Health Coverage to position Thailand as a global medical and wellness hub, as well as driving the energy transition through a solar rooftop policy that allows households to generate income by selling excess electricity back to the grid.
Addressing regional stability, the Prime Minister reiterated Thailand’s preference for constructive bilateral dialogue to resolve border and maritime disputes. Regarding compulsory conciliation proceedings initiated by Cambodia under UNCLOS, Thailand affirmed its participation in good faith while clarifying that the process strictly concerns maritime boundary delimitation, emphasizing that concrete progress must be made on border security, demining, and combating online scams.
On broader regional issues, Thailand continues to support an ASEAN-coordinated, Myanmar-led national reconciliation process, alongside international partnerships with UNODC and the Global Partnership against Online Scams to suppress cross-border narcotics and cybercrime.
