..Press Release.......UNESCAP News Services

Date 20 October 2006
Press Release No. L/72/2006 (as delivered)

Address
by
His Excellency Mr. Nitya Pibulsonggram,
Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand,
on the Occasion of the United Nations Day 2006,
United Nations Conference Centre, Bangkok,
20 October 2006
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Miss Elizabeth Fong, Regional Manager for the UNDP Regional Centre in Bangkok,
Ambassador Manaspas Xuto,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great honour for me to be representing His Excellency Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont today. On behalf of the people of Thailand and the Royal Thai Government, I wish to extend my best wishes to all of you: staff members of the United Nations, the UN offices and specialized agencies in Thailand. And, through you, may I extend my warmest greetings to Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

I also wish to express my appreciation to the President of the United Nations Association of Thailand, Ambassador Manaspas Xuto, a very respected senior colleague of mine. My thanks also go to the Association’s members. Their efforts help promote a better understanding of the United Nations here in this country.

For Thailand, for the Thai people and for myself, the United Nations holds a special place:

Thailand—because our relations with the United Nations have been based on close partnership for almost sixty years. And Thailand is host to your regional headquarters.

The Thai people—because the values of freedom, equality and human dignity embraced by the United Nations find deep resonance in Thai values.

And myself—because I feel privileged to have played a small part in enhancing this Thai- United Nations partnership. Both in New York and here in Bangkok.

I wish to reiterate what my Prime Minister stated to many of you on October the 12th. Thailand’s commitment to supporting the United Nations is steadfast. Thailand will continue to work in close partnership with the United Nations. And we have done so for six decades. We will help the United Nations fulfill its mandate under the Charter. And we will help it achieve the larger freedoms cited at the World Summit last year. As for the regional offices of the United Nations and other international organizations here in Thailand, let me make it clear. You have the total support of the Royal Thai Government for your work and for your activities.

The United Nations Day is indeed a time of celebration. We can look back to more than sixty years of achievements. Thailand is proud to have played its part since 1946. From providing refuge to displaced persons to fighting transnational drug trafficking. From participating in United Nations peacekeeping operations to supporting disaster relief. Hand-in-hand with the United Nations, we worked together to surmount these common challenges to mankind. It is fitting that we celebrate.

But the United Nations Day should also be a time of reflection. For we are in an era of rapid change. There is a marked rise in both traditional and non-traditional threats. Threats to the global community. Challenges to the United Nations. We should thus ask ourselves. What more can we do to make the United Nations more relevant in this era? What more can we undertake to make the United Nations more capable to address these challenges? And when I refer to “we,” I mean the United Nations Member States as much as the United Nations Secretariat. For we all recognize this fact. That the United Nations can only go so far as Member States are willing to give political support and resources.

United Nations reform and revitalization are therefore necessary. Thailand commends and supports this ongoing process. We are proud of the contribution of former Prime Minister Anand Panyarachun as Chairman of the High-Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change in the year 2004. We welcome the achievements thus far. The Peace-building Commission and the Human Rights Council have been established.

But more needs to be done. For us and for many, there is still not enough progress in many areas. Meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) is one example. Ensuring effective management reform is another. The road ahead will certainly not be free from disagreement and disappointment. Nevertheless, as a strong supporter of the United Nations, Thailand will play its part. We will help promote further progress in United Nations reform. Through our ideas, our action and our commitment. As for the United Nations, we hope that it will continue to build bridges amongst all stakeholders. Because we believe that enduring reform is possible. But only when we move forward together. And despite our differences in priorities and preferences.

With regard to achievements, we need to give credit where credit is due. I am sure we all agree on this. That the lion’s share of the success of United Nations reform owes to the forward-looking vision and tireless efforts of Secretary-General Kofi Annan. It is therefore only fitting that I take this opportunity to pay tribute to him. In recognition of his many years of service and leadership at the United Nations and his legacy on reform, we express our deep appreciation. I also wish to assure the incoming Secretary-General, Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon of the Republic of Korea, of Thailand’s support and cooperation. We look forward to his efforts to make the United Nations a more effective and just organization. So that the United Nations can advance mankind’s hopes for a better future.

Excellencies,

As the UN pursues its path of reform and revitalization, to what areas will Thailand give priority? For us, the three pillars of the UN—human rights, development and peace and security. These are equally important.

First, you will always find in Thailand and the Thai people a strong supporter of human rights. Because the values regarding human rights, as enshrined in the UN Charter, are very much a part of Thai values. The right of the individual to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is universal. It can only be reinforced with Thai values. Values such as compassion, such as respect and tolerance. Thailand will thus continue to promote and protect human rights. We will uphold the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. We will abide by all the relevant international agreements and conventions to which we are party.

Likewise for democracy. We are committed to the full restoration of parliamentary democracy at the shortest possible time frame. So far, we have faithfully adhered to our own timelines. The National Legislative Assembly will be convened this evening. Work on the Constitution will begin soon. Our mission is to have all the political reforms in place. We are paving the way for a stronger democracy. With more effective checks and balances. This will culminate in free and fair general elections within a year.

This is our pledge. The Thai people deserve an effective democracy. One that nurtures both individual freedoms and social harmony…that promotes tolerance and respect for diversity…that protects the poor and defends the weak. The entire process has been and will continue to be peaceful. I ask all of you to trust us and judge us by our actions. Let us see the end results in one year’s time.

Second, we need to help the United Nations fight poverty and fulfill the basic needs of people worldwide. This means sufficient food, clothing, shelter and medicine. It is important that the UN redoubles its efforts to realize the MDGs.

Human-centred development is an important legacy of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). We welcome this as it will help countries attain the MDGs. Thailand has been pursuing people-centred development for a long time. We are indeed proud that its most active proponent has been none other than our beloved Monarch. His Majesty the King has been duly recognized this year by the UNDP’s inaugural Lifetime Achievement Award in Human Development.

The primacy of the people’s welfare is also at the heart of His Majesty’s concept of Sufficiency Economy. This will guide the Government’s economic policies. Sufficiency Economy seeks to avoid excesses. It promotes a balanced approach to economic development. It does not seek isolationism. On the contrary, it seeks to facilitate the smoother integration of a developing country into the globalized economy. It enables the market economy to serve human beings. But in a more sustainable and just manner.

And on the basis of our economic philosophies, we will continue to provide assistance to other developing countries. This is South-South cooperation. This helps countries attain their MDGs. But we need to have special focus on people. On empowering people. The awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Mr. Muhamad Yunus of Bangladesh, who pioneered the use of microcredit, is recognition of his innovative efforts to extend credit to the people at the grassroots level.

Now on the third pillar of the United Nations, Thailand will also continue to contribute to the United Nations’s efforts in maintaining international peace and security. We have done so through our participation in United Nations peacekeeping operations. From Burundi to Timor Leste. From Bosnia to Cambodia. For peace and security to endure in a conflict area, however, we need to establish the conditions that will sustain economic growth and development. Our peacekeepers are thus also developers. They assist the local population better to sustain their livelihoods as much as to keep the peace. This is why we attach great importance to effective post-conflict peace-building.

Excellencies,

Decades ago, Bangkok was called the Venice of the East. We had vast network of canals linking different parts of the city. Today, Bangkok may be more appropriately called the Geneva of the East. We enjoy the presence of the United Nations and other international organizations right here in Bangkok. They help link Thailand with the region and the rest of the world through you and your organizations. You continue to be a vital part of the living partnership between Thailand and the United Nations. The Royal Thai Government will indeed continue to support you.

I hereby congratulate the United Nations on its 61st Birthday. Happy Birthday. I look forward to working with you further to enhance the partnership between Thailand and the United Nations.

Thank you for your attention.

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