ASEAN leaders meet in Bangkok for 34th Summit

Bangkok: Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) met in Bangkok, Thailand for the body's 34th Summit.

During the opening ceremony, Thailand presented a cultural performance displaying the rich and diverse culture of the ASEAN region through Nang Yai or grand shadow play and a puppet show from its 10 member states.

ASEAN Chairman and Prime Minister of Thailand Prayuth Chan-ocha of Thailand in his speech said his country would take forward the good work and initiatives of the previous chairs in the endeavour “to realise the dreams that we all have set out and to ensure that the peoples of ASEAN, present and future, can deal with the challenges that come and truly benefit from ASEAN”.

He urged all member countries to promote connectivity in all dimensions, from digital infrastructure, rules and regulations to people-to-people links to build a “Seamless ASEAN”.

“We aspire to be a “Sustainable ASEAN” in all dimensions, from security to the economy, the environment and human security. From now on, the “Sustainability of Things”, or SOT, concept should inform every decision ASEAN takes and should become the ASEAN DNA to pass on to future generations," he added.

Earlier, all the ASEAN leaders launched the Satellite Warehouse in Chainat Province, Thailand.

Thailand said the satellite warehouse would enable ASEAN and ASEAN's Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre) in Indonesia to more effectively pursue rapid mobilisation and distribution of relief items to disaster-affected ASEAN member states in mainland Southeast Asia.

The body's secretariat said in a statement that the satellite warehouse would further strengthen ASEAN’s collective response to natural disasters.

ASEAN's member states are the Philippines, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.