Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha stressed the importance of regional stability in the Asia-Pacific and expressed full support for the international community in finding a peaceful solution to regional conflicts.
He was speaking Tuesday (Thailand time) at a working dinner on the "Regional Strategic Outlook" hosted by US President Barack Obama during the US-Asean Summit at the Sunnylands Centre in Rancho Mirage, California.
Topics discussed at the event included the South China Sea dispute, tensions on the Korean Peninsula and a framework of cooperation under the East Asia Summit (EAS), said deputy government spokesman Werachon Sukondhapatipak
Prime Minister Prayut and President Obama provide a photo opportunity for the media covering the US-Asean summit. (EPA photo)
Gen Prayut was quoted as saying that as the South China Sea conflict was a highly sensitive issue with a strong impact on geopolitics, the economy and international cooperation, it should be resolved with prudence and the right approach in order to ensure peace, stability and growth in the region.
Thailand supported efforts to ensure freedom and safety in sea navigation and air transportation in the disputed area, to ensure that international trade and travel through the South China Sea remain safe and uninterrupted, said Gen Prayut.
He called on all sides to refrain from committing acts that will complicate the situation and should instead initiate constructive dialogue to ease tensions in the disputed areas.
Gen Prayut said he still believed the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) is a useful mechanism to win trust among the concerned parties and bring about peaceful solutions to the conflict.
All sides should, therefore, follow the DOC and speed up negotiations on drafting a legally binding code of conduct (COC), he said.
Thailand appreciated the US role in supporting Asean in exploring ways to resolve the sea disputes by peaceful means, promoting freedom in marine navigation and air operations through the disputed zones and accelerating negotiations on the COC, he said.
Regarding the conflict on the Korean Peninsula, Gen Prayut said that Thailand was deeply concerned about North Korea's latest rocket launch, seen as an attempt to exacerbate the situation, and that Thailand would like to stress its support for the Joint Declaration of the Denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.
In terms of development, Gen Prayut said Thailand fully supports international cooperation to achieve UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The premier also pledged to cooperate with the US and other Asean countries to maintain stability in the region.
Prior to the working dinner, Gen Prayut met his Vietnamese counterpart, Nguyen Tan Dung, for talks held Tuesday morning, during the summit.
At the meeting, Prime Minister Prayut affirmed Thailand's intention to maintain its strategic partnership with Vietnam in all areas, particularly trade, investment and security.
The Vietnamese leader, meanwhile, was quoted as saying that both nations should accelerate work by their ministries and state agencies in the implementation of the Thai-Vietnamese agreement to increase bilateral trade.