• OPINION

  Ten ways to sidestep fault lines in Asean

  News, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 27/03/2018

  » Given the unsettled international environment, great powers' competition and regional dynamism, the current Asean chair, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, urged the regional grouping to "maintain its centrality and relevance" in his recent speech at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.

• OPINION

  Asean must make EU a strategic partner

  News, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 22/01/2019

  » Asean can be vicious, as relations with the European Union demonstrate. At the Chiang Mai retreat last week, the official status of the EU as a new strategic dialogue partner was one of the prominent issues taken up by Asean foreign ministers. The press statement issued by the chair simply said that the EU's status, which Asean has agreed in principle, is still subject "to further details and time to be worked out". In a nutshell, it is still in limbo.

• OPINION

  A sneak peek at the 35th Asean summit

  News, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 29/10/2019

  » Next week, the sprawling IMPACT Muang Thong Thani complex will be temporarily transformed into an international arena for talks between the world's greatest movers-and-shakers.

• OPINION

  Asean centrality in a changing world

  Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 30/04/2024

  » What is Asean centrality? It can mean different things to different people, but broadly, it can be seen as a regional framework that supports Asean's role as the dominant regional platform to overcome common challenges and engage with external powers.

• OPINION

  Thai-EU free trade deal on the horizon

  News, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 17/04/2024

  » If everything goes as planned, Thailand and the EU could sign a free trade agreement by mid-next year, in what is another example of the European Union's increasing engagement in the Indo-Pacific region.

• OPINION

  What joining OECD means to Thailand

  Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 02/04/2024

  » Thailand's bid to become a member of the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) could be extremely challenging owing to the ever-changing geopolitical landscape, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region. Since the release of the OECD's Indo-Pacific Strategic Framework last year, the Paris-based intergovernmental organisation has been doubling its efforts to woo more members from the region. Both the region's No.1 and No.2 economies, Indonesia and Thailand, are high on the list.

• OPINION

  Lao Asean chair: better comfort level

  Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 06/02/2024

  » The outgrowth of the latest Asean foreign ministers' retreat in Luang Prabang last week palpably shows a better comfort level between the host and their colleagues. Such a casual atmosphere generated better outcomes without politicising or dragging on contentious issues. Most importantly, Vientiane's diplomatic finesse is highly visible in its third chairmanship in approaching Asean-related issues and challenges: the thinking is less is more with clear-cut priorities. If this trajectory continues, the Lao chair will be lauded.

• OPINION

  Lao PDR is ready for Asean challenges

  Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 26/12/2023

  » Starting Jan 1, Lao PDR will officially take over the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean). This comes at a critical time as uncertainty increases regionally and globally. The growing competition among major powers has already had chilling effects on the region and beyond, never mind the ongoing issues of climate change and supply chain crises. Taking the helm for the third time, Vientiane will have to be proactive due to the urgency of such challenges.

• OPINION

  Will Apec meet reveal a US Asia pivot?

  Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 07/11/2023

  » Mid-November will mark another important milestone in the chronicles of US involvement in Asia. President Joe Biden will host the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Leaders Meeting from Nov 15-17 in San Francisco.

• OPINION

  First look at new Thai diplomatic tactics

  Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 10/10/2023

  » In deciphering the 1,288-word Thai foreign policy statement announced last week, it is important to start at the very end. The last paragraph of "Thailand's Challenges: How to Thrive in Rising Geopolitical Uncertainty", put forward by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara, was particularly revealing. He said succinctly that Thai diplomatic platforms must complement the government's domestic policies to improve people's standard of living and create job opportunities in order to get the country back in the global economic and political arena with dignity. In addition, it must enable the Thai business sector to grow and prosper domestically and internationally to increase confidence in Thailand.

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