MFA Press Statement: Visit by Minister for Foreign Affairs George Yeo to the Kingdom of Thailand, 19-23 January 2011

Minister for Foreign Affairs George Yeo will lead a delegation of civil servants to Bangkok for the 10th Coordinating Meeting of the Thailand-Singapore Civil Service Exchange Programme (CSEP-10) from 19 to 20 January 2011. Minister Yeo, together with Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand Khun Kasit Piromya, will jointly officiate the Opening Ceremony of CSEP-10. As part of CSEP-10, Minister Yeo will separately call on Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

Since its inaugural meeting in 1998, CSEP has played an important role in fostering closer contact and cooperation between the two civil services. CSEP currently comprises thirteen cooperation clusters: (i) Civil service; (ii) Education; (iii) Environment; (iv) Health; (v) Information and Communication Technology; (vi) Legal and Judicial; (vii) Manpower; (viii) Media, Arts and Culture; (ix) Science and Technology; (x) Social Welfare, Youth and Sports; (xi) Technical Cooperation; (xii) Transport; and (xiii) cooperation between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Singapore and Thailand. The theme for this year's CSEP is "Thailand-Singapore: Dealing with Demographic Challenges". This is an important and timely topic, as both countries will have to increasingly manage complex demographic issues such as an ageing population and a declining fertility rate, which require coordinated and integrated policy solutions across civil service agencies.

CSEP-10 will be co-chaired by Mr Chee Wee Kiong, Second Permanent Secretary (Foreign Affairs) of Singapore, and Khun Theerakun Niyom, Permanent Secretary (Foreign Affairs) of Thailand. The delegation, which will include senior officials from various ministries and government agencies, will review the continuing cooperation between the two civil services and consider new proposals to further enhance cooperation.

Aside from the CSEP programme, Minister Yeo will pay courtesy calls on Privy Councillors General Surayud Chulanont and Air Chief Marshal Siddhi Savetsila. Minister Yeo will also meet with the Singapore Club of Thailand (SCOT) and Singapore-Thai Chamber of Commerce (STCC). From Bangkok, Minister Yeo will travel to Chiang Rai to join other ASEAN Foreign Ministers on a road trip from Chiang Rai through Laos to Kunming, China. This is in relation to the ASEAN Connectivity initiative and is also part of a series of activities to commemorate the 20th anniversary of ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
18 JANUARY 2011