BANGKOK (July 10): Asean must work together to boost intra-regional trade and deepen cooperation to navigate an increasingly complex global political and economic landscape, said Thailand’s Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa.

Alongside intergovernmental collaboration, he said the private sector also plays a crucial role in overcoming these challenges.

"Amidst a complex global political and economic landscape, I stressed that Asean must work together to confront these challenges, particularly by strengthening intra-Asean trade, as we represent a combined market of nearly 700 million people," he posted on his official X account on Thursday.

He added that Asean members should work together to enhance collaboration among the region’s business communities.

Maris is currently in Kuala Lumpur for the 58th Asean Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) and related meetings, including the AMM Plenary Session and Retreat Session, which began on Tuesday.

During the Plenary Session, Maris said Asean members exchanged views on strengthening and fostering a more cohesive Asean Community.

"I also emphasised the growing threat of transnational crimes in our region, particularly online scams, which undermine Asean’s community-building efforts. In this regard, I called for stronger regional cooperation to tackle these threats effectively," he said.

At the Retreat Session, Maris said discussions focused on reinforcing Asean unity, including pursuing a collective Asean approach to the situation in Myanmar.

"The meeting recognised the importance of achieving a ceasefire in Myanmar, as well as organising a joint visit by the Foreign Ministers of Malaysia, as the current Asean chair, along with Indonesia and the Philippines, as incoming chairs, in the coming months to explore ways to facilitate humanitarian assistance," he added.

Meanwhile, the Thai foreign minister also held a bilateral meeting with Norway’s State Secretary, Andreas Kravik.

Maris said the discussion focused on deepening bilateral cooperation, particularly in trade and investment, including the possibility of Norway’s sovereign wealth fund - the largest in the world — investing in Thailand’s Land Bridge project.

"Norway is a global leader in the green transition, from which Thailand can learn and adapt in order to help the Thai private sector move towards carbon neutrality," he said.

The 58th AMM and related meetings, held under Malaysia’s Asean chairmanship for 2025 with the theme ‘Inclusivity and Sustainability’, comprise 24 ministerial-level meetings involving Asean Dialogue Partners and Sectoral Dialogue Partners.

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