Thailand hopes to be invited to become a member of Brics in October, according to Foreign Affairs Minster Maris Sangiampongsa.
“Thailand values our collaboration with Brics and has always participated in all high-level Brics meetings. Indeed, we seek to engage even more comprehensively within the Brics framework in the future,” he was quoted as saying at a meeting of Brics foreign ministers in Nizhny Novgorod, Russia on Tuesday.
“In this connection, it gives me great honour to announce Thailand’s earnest desire to become a member of Brics at the earliest possibility.”
Brics was formed in 2009 by the major emerging economies Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, with the aim of countering Western dominance. Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran and the United Arab Emirates joined the group on Jan 1.
This year 30 countries have expressed interest in joining the bloc and 15 have formally applied for membership including Kuwait, Thailand and Vietnam.
Non-member countries aspiring to join have been invited to participate in the 16th Brics summit in Kazan, Russia, from Oct 22 to 24.
Mr Maris said Thailand had a great deal to offer the dynamic group. The country is a bridge builder and will make every effort to connect the bloc across regional, sub-regional and multilateral frameworks, namely the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (Bimstec), the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) and the Group of 77, he said.
He also proposed that Brics should increase its collaboration with developing countries in food and energy security, increase trade and investment by enhancing supply-chain connectivity and cross-border digital transactions, and promote the use of local currencies.
“Thailand is prepared to initiate concrete technical cooperation with Brics countries to exchange expertise and best practices, focusing on human security in four aspects: health, jobs, food, and environment and energy,” he said.
He said the sooner potential new Brics partners join, the stronger the voice of Brics will be on the world stage.
“Thailand builds bridges, we connect and we cooperate across regions and platforms,” he said. “As part of the Brics family, I am certain that this is how Thailand can contribute to making Brics more inclusive, more interconnected, and more impactful in shaping an emerging world order that is just, stable, and prosperous for all.”
Thailand has also served notice that it wants to apply to join the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, which groups 38 of the world’s most developed economies.
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