Joint Press Statement on the 14th Thailand-Singapore Civil Service Exchange Programme, 25 to 26 June 2024, Bangkok, Thailand

The 14^th Thailand-Singapore Civil Service Exchange Programme (CSEP) was held in Bangkok, Thailand, from 25 to 26 June 2024. Mr. Maris Sangiampongsa, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand, and Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Singapore, jointly officiated the Opening Ceremony of the meeting.  

Since its inception in 1997, CSEP has played an important role in promoting closer contact and enhancing cooperation between the two civil services in areas such as health, leadership development, education, tourism, youth, technology, trade facilitation, food security, labour, law, and the environment. The 14^th CSEP Plenary was co-chaired by Mrs. Eksiri Pintaruchi, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand and Mr. Albert Chua, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Singapore.

In view of the changing global environment and to advance future-oriented bilateral cooperation, the 14^th CSEP was convened under the theme, “Embarking on a Green Partnership in a Digitalised Era”, with discussions taking place under three Pillars comprising Partnership for Sustainability, Partnership for Economic Growth and Social Development, and Partnership for Human Empowerment and Public Service Development respectively. Senior officials from many government ministries and agencies of both countries reviewed the ongoing cooperation between the two civil services and agreed to cooperate on new proposals in a wide range of areas, including digital economy and digitalisation, green economy, sustainable development, carbon credits, energy, health, international dispute resolution, future-ready workforce development, and human resource development for government officials. Cooperation in these areas would facilitate closer partnership between the private sectors of Thailand and Singapore that is essential for sustainable economic growth, as well as provision of better public services for the peoples of both countries.

Thailand and Singapore will celebrate the 60^th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations in 2025. Both countries are committed to elevating the bilateral partnership for the benefit of our peoples. Thailand and Singapore look forward to the 15^th CSEP, which will be held in Singapore.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
REPUBLIC OF SINGAPORE

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
KINGDOM OF THAILAND

26 JUNE 2024

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OPENING REMARKS BY MINISTER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS DR VIVIAN BALAKRISHNAN AT THE

14^TH COORDINATING MEETING OF THE THAILAND-SINGAPORE CIVIL SERVICE EXCHANGE PROGRAMME

“EMBARKING ON A GREEN PARTNERSHIP IN A DIGITALISED ERA”

WEDNESDAY, 26 JUNE 2024

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Sawadee khap. Good morning Your Excellency Maris Sangiampongsa, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand.

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

               I am delighted to be back in Bangkok for the opening of the 14^th Coordinating Meeting of the Thailand-Singapore Civil Service Exchange Programme (CSEP). I am glad Foreign Minister Maris and I keep meeting frequently. I think this must be our third or fourth meeting in the last two months and I hope we will be able to maintain this frequency of interaction.

2             My friends, we are gathered here today because we have two visionary Prime Ministers back in the late 1990s – former Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong and former Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, who decided that it was essential for Thailand and Singapore to work closely together to develop an advanced partnership– we called it the Singapore-Thailand Enhanced Partnership, or STEP for short. And CSEP was the result of this partnership. It began the following year.

3             I think it is worthwhile for us to recall the historical understanding and context for CSEP. Thailand has always been a key pillar or key hub for continental Southeast Asia historically. It has had an impact on the archipelagic side of Southeast Asia for  many millennia. If you fast forward to the 1960s when Singapore gained independence, there was a war in Indochina. Whatever the historical merits of that contest, the fact that Thailand stood resolute in its defence of Southeast Asia and made common cause with the rest of archipelagic Southeast Asia is the reason why ASEAN came upon. And it is no accident that in 1967, signed here, Thailand and Singapore were two of the founding members of ASEAN.

4             Then we come forward to the 1990s, when STEP and CSEP were born. Again, it is worth reminding ourselves that in the early 1990s, and indeed 1997 when this institution was born, was the end of the Cold War. It enabled us to expand ASEAN to include our other Indochinese brothers. It was also a time that some commentators thought was the end of history. It was a time of triumph for economic liberalisation, free trade, global supply chains, the growth of multinationals, and the free flow of investments across Southeast Asia, especially in Thailand and Singapore, and we all benefitted from that.

5             Fast forward to today, the situation is quite different from the situation of the late 1990s when CSEP was born. Today, we are seeing a world which is fractured. There is a war in Ukraine, a war in Gaza, tensions in the Pacific, and even in the South China Sea. There is a new superpower contestation. Not between the Soviet Union and the West, but between the United States and China, who are both essential partners to Thailand and Singapore. We have also seen, all over the world, a domestic political resistance to free trade, to globalisation, to the liberal economic model on which so much progress, economically, was achieved by us, both in Thailand and Singapore over the last six decades. If you look also at our GDP growth areas, both in Thailand and in Singapore, part of the reason our growth has slowed is of course that our economies have matured. But it is not just that. The fact is, as Foreign Minister Maris has alluded to earlier, the old formulas for economic growth and collaboration will not be sufficient.

6             So thatis the context and the sense of urgency that needs to be injected within CSEP today and in the plans that all of you are generating. In the same way that Thailand and Singapore could make common cause against conflict, common cause for globalisation, common cause for free trade, and common cause for ASEAN, we need Thailand and Singapore to also make common cause in this new world that is emerging. Foreign Minister Maris has already alluded to the opportunities in the digital space and sustainable economy. And do not forget the revolution occurring in the digital space, especially in artificial intelligence.

7             The other common challenge that both Thailand and Singapore face is demographics. I think both our countries are short on babies. So the challenge that is put on your table today is, how are we going to achieve higher rates of growth, sustainable growth, taking advantage of new emerging technologies, and also avoiding the political and geostrategic challenges that the world is confronting. I hope you will do the homework and give us answers, give us recommendations, as to what our path forward would be, both individually and separately as sovereign nations, but also collectively as true partners and as key pillars for ASEAN integration.

8             Speaking of that, one project which of course we have been discussing and I will be very frank with you, will not be easy to fulfil, is the ASEAN Power Grid. I have been in politics long enough to know that we have been discussing this for 20 years. Now, there is both a need and an opportunity, but we need to structure the business of interests and the diplomatic and economic arrangements so that it is clearly “win-win” for everyone concerned. Then, it can become another example of an ASEAN project in which we made common cause, and everyone benefits, and the returns are in higher economic growth, a greener economy, and a more resilient economy that will withstand the shocks that are likely to come in the decades ahead.

9             Finally, let me also make another point about the Civil Service. By definition, politicians come and go. What is meant to be permanent is the Civil Service. But even for civil servants, generations age and  get replaced. We need CSEP not only to generate ideas, but you must also leave with additional phone numbers and contact lists at the end of CSEP. You must build trust and relationships, because that is the most secure and sustainable way for deeper, closer relations between our Civil Services. I am glad that when I look around the room, I can see younger faces, and hope that there will be new friendships and deeper reservoirs of trust. I think that if we can do all that, we will have a very fruitful and productive CSEP, and more importantly, to follow up. I give you this commitment, that both Maris and myself will stand fully in support of your ideas and your plans for the future. So thank you, and I wish you all a very good morning.

10           Thank you.

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