H.E. Mrs. Phantipha Iamsudha Ekarohit, the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Thailand to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, formally presented her Letter of Credence to H.E. Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary-General of ASEAN, at the ASEAN Secretariat headquarters in Jakarta on April seventeenth, strengthening Thailand’s diplomatic engagement within the regional bloc.

The ceremony was attended by senior ASEAN officials including Deputy Secretary-Generals responsible for the socio-cultural community, economic community and community and corporate affairs, underscoring the importance of Thailand’s representation and collaboration with ASEAN institutions.

In subsequent discussions, Ambassador Phantipha and Dr. Kao exchanged views on advancing ASEAN cooperation for the benefit of the region’s peoples, with a focus on priorities such as sustainable development and community integration.

Mrs. Phantipha reiterated Thailand’s full support for the operationalisation and effectiveness of the ASEAN Secretariat, as well as Thailand’s commitments as ASEAN Coordinator for Sustainable Development Cooperation and Country Coordinator for ASEAN-Japan Dialogue Relations.

Dr. Kao commended Thailand’s proactive contributions to ASEAN, highlighting its role as host of several ASEAN Centres of Excellence, including those dedicated to sustainable development studies and public health emergencies and emerging diseases.

The presentation of credentials marks a consolidation of Thailand’s leadership and active engagement within ASEAN at a time when regional cooperation continues to evolve and address shared challenges across Southeast Asia.