RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul urged ASEAN to focus on three key priorities in navigating an increasingly challenging future. He delivered the message in a political address at ASEAN Headquarters in Jakarta on Tuesday, August 4, 2026.

PM Anutin emphasized that strengthening regionalism must be ASEAN’s first priority amid a fragmented global landscape, underscoring the importance of unity and ASEAN centrality in the years ahead.

“Centrality can only be maintained if we manage challenges within our own region. Consensus and non‑interference remain ASEAN’s core foundations,” he said, adding that these principles must be applied with flexibility and pragmatism to preserve unity while enabling meaningful action.

The second priority, he continued, is resilience--not merely the ability to recover after crises, but the capacity to prepare before disruptions occur. He called on ASEAN to expand partnerships with middle‑power countries and Global South partners committed to an open, inclusive, rules‑based international order.

“By connecting our strengths and diversifying cooperation, we can create more options, reduce dependency, and safeguard our strategic autonomy,” PM Anutin noted.

The third priority, he stressed, is ensuring ASEAN’s continued relevance through tangible contributions to regional and global affairs. ASEAN must remain a trusted platform for constructive and mutually beneficial cooperation.

“Ultimately, our own people will judge ASEAN’s future. That means acting together against cross‑border threats such as online fraud, cybercrime, and human trafficking, while equipping our youth with skills and opportunities to shape the region’s future,” he said.

At the same time, ASEAN faces challenges both within and beyond the region, underscoring the growing importance of unity and solidarity. Equally vital is the collective capacity to respond effectively to the evolving needs of its people.

“This situation also reminds us of the importance of commitment to peace, mutual respect, and the peaceful settlement of disputes, as well as equality under international law, as enshrined in the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC), which this year marks its 50th anniversary,” ASEAN Secretary‑General Kao Kim Hourn said at the same occassion. (Diffa Sephiawardhani)