The government spokesperson revealed that the Prime Minister will attend the ASEAN Summit in the Philippines from May 7 to 9, pushing forward the Beyond Thailand policy to strengthen Thailand’s role in the region, promote national interests, create trade and investment opportunities, and address global challenges faced by the country.
On 1 May 2026, Ms. Ratchada Thanadirek, the spokesperson for the Office of the Prime Minister, announced that Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul is preparing to attend the 48th ASEAN Summit from May 7 to 9, 2026, in Cebu City, Republic of the Philippines. This will be his first overseas mission since beginning his second term as Prime Minister.
The spokesperson stated that attending this summit is highly significant as it provides an opportunity to meet and discuss with ASEAN member state leaders to exchange views on global situations, strengthen regional cooperation, and reaffirm Thailand’s role as a constructive member within ASEAN. The platform will also be used to promote concrete collaboration and safeguard the country’s interests across various dimensions amid a world context marked by geopolitical, economic, and security volatility.
The 48th ASEAN Summit is the annual leaders’ meeting held in the first half of the year, attended exclusively by ASEAN member states and the chair’s invited guests. This year’s summit takes place amid global tensions driven by great power competition and conflicts in various regions, especially the Middle East, which affect the economy, energy, and supply chains.
The summit will be attended by leaders and senior representatives from ASEAN member countries including Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos PDR, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam, along with the ASEAN Secretary-General, representatives from Myanmar, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and other guests of the chair.