Thailand praises late UN leader Kofi Annan

Thailand praises late UN leader Kofi Annan

Then-UN secretary-general Kofi Annan presents the late King Bhumibol with the United Nations Development Programme's Human Development Lifetime Achievement Award during an audience at Klai Kangwon Palace on May 26 2006. (Royal Household Bureau photo)
Then-UN secretary-general Kofi Annan presents the late King Bhumibol with the United Nations Development Programme's Human Development Lifetime Achievement Award during an audience at Klai Kangwon Palace on May 26 2006. (Royal Household Bureau photo)

Thailand has commended late UN secretary-general Kofi Annan for his fight to make the world a better place to live and advocacy of human rights.

"The Royal Thai Government and the people of the Kingdom of Thailand are deeply saddened to learn of the demise of Mr Kofi Annan, former secretary-general of the United Nations and Nobel Peace Laureate," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement released on Sunday.

"He strengthened the Organisation's work in the areas of development and the maintenance of international peace and security. He advocated human rights, the rule of law, and the universal values of equality, tolerance and human dignity as elaborated in the United Nations Charter," it added.

(Reuters video)


Annan died at the age of 80 in Switzerland on Saturday after a short, unspecified illness.

The ministry called him "a good friend of Thailand."

He visited the country on several occasions.  The highlight came on May 26, 2006, when he presented King Bhumibol with the United Nations Development Programme's first Human Development Lifetime Achievement Award during an audience at Klai Kangwon Palace in Hua Hin district, Prachuap Khiri Khan.

The award was in recognition of King Bhumibol's dedication to a sufficiency approach to development.

Then-UN secretary-general Kofi Annan was welcomed by Privy Council president Prem Tinsulanonda to give a speech at a high-level panel discussion on `His Majesty the King and Human Development' at the Foreign Ministry on May 6, 2006. (Photo by Jetjaras Na Ranong)

Annan praised the late King during the audience for his "extraordinary contribution to human development."

"His Majesty's `sufficiency economy' philosophy -- emphasising moderation, responsible consumption and resilience to external shocks -- is of great relevance to communities everywhere during these times of rapid globalisation,'' he said at the time.

"The philosophy's `middle path' approach strongly reinforces the United Nations' own advocacy of a people-centred and sustainable path toward human development,'' he added.

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