Bangkok: The President of the Philippines called to congratulate Prime Minister Anutin and invited him to the ASEAN Summit. He praised Thailand's handling of the scammer problem and thanked Thailand for helping Filipinos who were scammed to return home.
According to Thai News Agency, today at 1:30 PM, Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Anutin Charnvirakul held a telephone discussion with President Ferdinand Romualdez Marcos Jr. of the Republic of the Philippines at the Prime Minister's Office, located on the 2nd floor of the Thai Khu Fah Building, Government House. Following the discussion, Ms. Ratchada Thanadirek, Spokesperson for the Prime Minister, summarized the key points.
The President of the Philippines congratulated the Prime Minister on his reappointment, underscoring the confidence of the Thai people in their country's administration. He reiterated the invitation for Prime Minister Anutin to attend the 48th ASEAN Summit, which the Philippines will host in May.
The Prime Minister expressed his gratitude and reaffirmed Thailand's readiness to actively participate in and support the meeting under the leadership of the Philippines. He emphasized the potential for enhanced cooperation between Thailand and the Philippines, especially in the economic sector, which is gaining significance amid the volatile global situation. Additionally, the upcoming ASEAN meeting is expected to address the situation in the Middle East to improve ASEAN's capacity to manage impacts on energy and food security.
The Prime Minister also proposed making the fight against transnational crime a regional mission. Both leaders agreed to boost cooperation in combating transnational crime, particularly online fraud, at both the bilateral level and within the ASEAN framework, and to expedite the conclusion of related agreements. President Marcos Jr. expressed gratitude to the Thai government for assisting in the repatriation of nearly 1,000 Filipinos affected by fraudulent activities in Myanmar back to the Philippines via Thailand.
Prime Minister Anutin reiterated that the relationship between Thailand and the Philippines, as ASEAN member states, is strong and holds the potential to develop into a deeper strategic partnership in the future. He emphasized joint efforts to drive cooperation in various dimensions, including economic, security, and sustainable development, for the mutual benefit of the people of both countries and to strengthen the ASEAN region as a whole.