The Prime Minister is flying to the Philippines to attend the ASEAN Summit from 7-9 May 2026, highlighting Thailand's role in ASEAN as a "cooperation connector" amid a volatile global situation that is constantly changing.
On 6 May 2026, Ms. Ratchada Thanadirek, spokesperson for the Office of the Prime Minister, revealed that Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul is preparing to use the 48th ASEAN Summit, held from 7 to 9 May 2026 in Cebu City, Republic of the Philippines, as a platform to link ASEAN's concrete outcomes to benefits for the Thai people.
The spokesperson said the summit is held under the main theme "Navigating Our Future, Together," with leaders and senior representatives from ASEAN member countries attending. Notable participants include His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei Darussalam; Prime Minister Hun Manet of Cambodia; President Joko Widodo of Indonesia; Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone of Laos; Prime Minister Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim of Malaysia; President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of the Philippines; Prime Minister Lawrence Wong of Singapore; Prime Minister Kay Rala Xanana Gusmão of Timor-Leste; and Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh of Vietnam, as well as ASEAN Secretary-General Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, representatives from Myanmar, and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) as guests of the chair.
This summit takes place amid a world unsettled by conflicts in multiple regions, geopolitical pressures, economic strains, and security challenges, all of which greatly impact ASEAN. This ASEAN Summit is regarded as "a forum that sets the future direction of the region" connecting regional cooperation to the daily lives of people in each country. The meeting will discuss approaches to address impacts from the Middle East situation, energy and food security, and public safety within ASEAN countries, as well as cooperation to tackle challenges, ASEAN's adaptation to rapidly changing global circumstances, and strengthening ASEAN's role on the world stage.
For Thailand, the government is ready to elevate the country's role as a "cooperation connector," focusing on advancing key issues such as energy security, sustainable food access, and public safety in the region. The Prime Minister will also take this opportunity to hold both multilateral and bilateral discussions, employing diplomacy aimed at maintaining balanced relations and fostering concrete results in economic, security, and cross-border challenge management dimensions.