On Tuesday, July 2, 2024, the Australian Ambassador and delegation visited Khon Kaen University to discuss educational cooperation and other interesting topics. On this occasion, the International College of Khon Kaen University had the opportunity to host the lecture. Assistant Professor Sirimonbhorn Thipsingh, the Dean, along with faculty members, staff, and undergraduate students in the International Relations and Diplomacy major, and the International Development major attended to welcome and listen to the special lecture “Thailand – Australia Bilateral Relations and Australia’s Role in the Region” by Her Excellency Dr. Angela Macdonald, for academic benefit.
The atmosphere of the event was orderly. The main content of the lecture focused on the long-standing relationship between Australia and Thailand, which spans almost 80 years, economic cooperation, and support for free trade through participation in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
The goal is to build strategic trust and mutual understanding through open dialogue and cooperation at all levels under the umbrella of the Strategic Partnership.
Key points of the lecture are as follows:
The Australia-Thailand Strategic Partnership established in 2020 provides a framework for nurturing the bilateral relationship through various activities and engagements. Regular high-level meetings help foster open communication and transparency between the two countries. Some examples of engagements under the Strategic Partnership include:
- Government ministers from both countries meet annually to review cooperation across areas like trade, investment, defense, and security.
- Senior officials also meet regularly to discuss implementation of the Joint Plan of Action which covers cooperation in these fields.
- Partnerships between agencies working together on issues like transboundary environmental challenges, cultural exchange, and education.
- Business and community exchanges that strengthen people-to-people ties and economic collaboration over the long term.
Finally, Australia is ASEAN’s oldest dialogue partner, and in late 2021, the ASEAN-Australia relationship was elevated to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Australia emphasizes ASEAN’s central role in the region’s security architecture and recognizes ASEAN’s importance in the context of major power competition in the Indo-Pacific, which Australia increasingly prioritizes. ASEAN’s potential and regional prosperity is acknowledged, and ASEAN and Australian leaders now hold regular meetings annually like other ASEAN dialogue partners. Australia supports and assists ASEAN in various areas. For Thailand, the future of Australia and Thailand has always been positive. The development of two-way trade and investment will enable Australia and Thailand to achieve mutual prosperity and security.
