The Prime Minister will take this opportunity to pay an official visit to
Kuwait on October 17 to strengthen bilateral relations and increase trade and
investment opportunities between Thailand and Kuwait.
The ACD Summit was proposed by His Highness the Amir of Kuwait during the
10th ACD Ministerial Meeting, held in Kuwait in 2011. Member countries have
taken turns hosting the annual ACD Ministerial Meeting. Thailand believed that
the summit would mark a new chapter of ACD and would not only be a good
opportunity to consolidate the past achievements but also to shape the future
direction, in order to meet the expectations of Asia as a new global growth
center.
ACD, initiated by Thailand, was established in 2002 with 18 member
countries, to serve as an open and informal forum for the exchange of views and
experiences on issues of common interest between Asian nations. It aims to tap
into Asia’s strengths to enhance the competitiveness of member countries and to
serve as a “missing link” to bring together existing subregional and regional
cooperative mechanisms in Asia.
ACD celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2012, and the forum now has 32
member countries. There are currently 20 areas of cooperation. Thailand now
serves as the prime mover of tourism and financial cooperation and co-prime
mover in the area of human resource development.
Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul represented Thailand at the ACD
Ministerial Meeting, on the sideline of the 67th Session of the United Nations
General Assembly in New York on 27 September 2012.
As ACD coordinator, Thailand plays an important role in preparation for the
first ACD Summit in Kuwait. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Thailand proposed three issues for the summit to consider. The first issue is
for ACD to establish a clear vision to meet the emerging challenges and advance
the economies. Refocusing and setting priorities among the existing cooperation
areas are needed in order to serve as effective building blocks for pan-Asian
cooperation and an Asian community.
The second issue is that ACD should initiate a regional connectivity to
consolidate areas of cooperation, such as food and energy security. Member
countries will work on a blueprint that would link Asia together in the same
manner as the Silk Road and the Trans-Siberian railway.
The third issue seeks to explore financial linkages to maximize the
financial resources within the region, such as networking among stock
exchanges, expanding the Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralization, and
reviewing the Asia Bond initiative.
Thailand also proposed to host an annual meeting of senior officials and
look into the possibility of setting up a permanent Secretariat as a
coordinator and an institutional database.
Thailand and Kuwait have long enjoyed close and cordial relations. His
Highness the Amir of Kuwait visited Thailand in 2006 on the auspicious occasion
of the 60th anniversary of His Majesty the King’s accession to the throne.
There have been exchanges of visits between the two countries on a continuous
basis.
During the first half of 2012, about 40,000 Kuwaiti tourists visited
Thailand, particularly for family holidays, for honeymoons, and for medical
tourism. The number represents an increase of 20 percent over the same period
of 2011.
Prime Minister Yingluck will hold talks with her Kuwaiti counterpart, His
Highness Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, to boost trade cooperation
in the areas of agro-industry, construction, and medical tourism. On this
occasion, Thailand will urge Kuwait to invest in the Thai capital market and
other projects, such as a high-speed rail system.
The Prime Minister is also accompanied by representatives from the private
sector, and she will return to Bangkok on 18 October 2012.
(thailand.prd.go.th)
