BANGKOK, 12 August 2011 (NNT) – ASEAN Secretary-General Dr Surin Pitsuwan has encouraged the new government to restore the image of Thailand in the ASEAN and international arenas in order to boost confidence towards the leadership of Thailand.

Dr Surin announced that he will seek talks with Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra after she has made a policy statement, in order to push forward the role of Thailand in the ASEAN region after Thailand has lost the leadership in the past five to six years due to lack of clear and continuous policies.

The secretary-general noted that Section 190 of the 2007 Constitution as regards the signing of international treaties has been causing technical difficulties, barring Thailand from taking a leadership role in ASEAN; given Thai leaders did not dare to make decisions for fear of violating the law.

Dr Surin stated that the new government should make clarity in three issues, including sovereignty, jurisdiction and territory, as well as other agreements leading to law amendment, which the lower house must acknowledge as it is the legislature.

The secretary-general noted that ASEAN so far has been trying to push forward the ASEAN Economic Community, including being a single market, being a globally competitive market, distributing economic prosperity as well as integrating ASEAN market into the global ones efficiently.

Reporter: Santibhap Ussavasodhi
National News Bureau of Thailand