BANGKOK, Aug 24 (Bernama) -- Former Thai foreign minister Surakiat Sathirathai has expressed support for the Thai government's foreign policy to improve relations with neighbouring countries, particularly Cambodia.
Speaking at the "Asia In The Next Decade" forum at Plaza Athenee Bangkok Hotel on Wednesday, Surakiat insisted the government was on the right track, reports Thai News Agency (TNA).
He said the restoration of Thai-Cambodian ties was a top priority, and urged the Thai government to mend existing problems by peaceful means.
"Disputes should be contained in meeting rooms, while people of both countries must co-exist peacefully", he noted.
He also stressed that boundary experts from both countries should take the lead on border issues, noting that nationalism alone could obstruct problem-solving efforts.
On trade, the former foreign minister said it was mandatory for the 10 ASEAN member states to jointly promote market integration, as they could not rely only on export markets in the U.S. and Europe.
He said Asia would play bigger roles in the world economy in the next decade, with China and India to catalyse major changes on top of diminishing influence of the U.S. and Europe.
To this extent, he advised the Thai government to consider foreign policies that develop the well-being of the Thai people, saying economic fluctuations would increase over the next 4-5 years.
-- BERNAMA
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