National —
On November 20th, 2024, Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Phumtham Wechayachai participated in the 18th ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) in Vientiane, Laos.
The meeting served as a platform for ASEAN’s 10 member states to strengthen relationships, build trust, and discuss security challenges in both formal and informal settings.
Defense Ministry Spokesman Maj. Gen. Thanathip Sawangsaeng explained that the meeting endorsed the Vientiane Joint Declaration to promote peace, security, and ASEAN’s centrality in addressing global security threats. The declaration emphasized closer cooperation, transparency, and mutual trust among member states.
Key outcomes included the approval of observer status for France, the UK, Canada, and Türkiye from 2024 to 2026, enabling them to engage in ASEAN defense cooperation activities.
The meeting also approved a joint ASEAN-US maritime exercise for 2025, aimed at bolstering maritime security and advancing the ASEAN-US Strategic Partnership Action Plan (2021–2025).
Additionally, the ministers adopted strategies to prepare for future ADMM and ADMM-Plus meetings, ensuring alignment with ASEAN’s Political-Security Community Blueprint 2025 and long-term vision for 2045, which seeks a secure, dynamic, and people-centered region, according to Maj. Gen. Thanathip.
This article originally appeared on our sister website The Pattaya News.
