Policy Statement of the Head of the Delegation of Thailand
H.E. Mr. Siriwat Suthigasame
Ambassador

Mr. Chairman,
Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is indeed a great pleasure and privilege for me and the Thai delegation to attend this significant conference, the 2002 Plenipotentiary Conference, with the distinguished delegates from each country. First of all, may I extend my heartfelt congratulations to you Mr. Chairman, for being elected to the Chairmanship of a very important international Conference. With your able guidance, I am certain that this distinguished Conference will come to a fruitful conclusion.

On behalf of the Government of the Kingdom of Thailand, allow me to express my deepest gratitude to the Government of the Kingdom of Morocco for graciously hosting this important and meaningful Conference in a wonderful country. My appreciation also goes to the people and citizens of the Morocco for this warmth and hospitality extended to us.

During past years, the Thai governments have taken many actions to improve Thailand's telecommunication industry to ensure fair competitive business in place of previous government's monopoly, ultimately to protect consumers' benefits and to promote vibrant telecommunication business similar to those practiced in developed countries. At the national level, laws related to regulatory regime and liberal telecommunication business have been promulgated to cope with the forthcoming reform on telecommunication business regulation and liberalisation. The new practices have been aimed to match international practices, in line with Thailand's commitment to the World Trade Organization's Agreements in telecommunications trade in services.

As the world becomes aware of increasing importance of the information and communication technologies (ICT) in global economic and social development, The Thai Government has emphasized the potential of ICT to strengthen the country's economic and social development becoming a knowledge-based country. This policy is also to support global ICT development and to lessen digital divide of the global communities in this part of the world. The Thai Government has adopted the "IT 2010 - A Policy for Development of Thailand's ICT" as a visionary guideline to develop a Master Plan for ICT Development 2002-2006 in order to transform the IT 2010 policy into action. We sincerely hope that Thailand's serious efforts in continuous work in her own ICT development as well as consistent participation with international bodies as the ITU, the APT, and the APEC have demonstrated her unending commitment and willingness to bring benefits of ICT to people and communities in this part of the world as best as Thailand can.

With respect to regional cooperation, Thailand has actively been involved in the e-ASEAN Framework Agreement in order to promote the ICT activities in the region. In addition, with a view to promoting mutual benefit, the Government of Thailand has realized on importance of cooperation among several regional groupings of nations both intra-regional and inter-regional in order to built strength, potential, as well as confidence. The Government therefore has launched the Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD) with a view to strengthen Asia for both Asia itself and the world at large, to strengthen Asia as that each and individual country will become a strong market for intra-Asian trade and for global trade, and to make poverty in Asia no longer a major obstacle to the development. To put the ACD in perspective, a few main objectives need spelling out as follows;

Firstly, to provide a non-institutionalized arrangement for the exchange of ideas and experiences and create synergy among bilateral, multilateral, sub-regional and regional strategic partnerships in the areas of common interests.

Second, to improve national and regional capabilities so as to make Asia a strong partner for other regions.

Thirdly, to serve as a forum for Asian countries to exchange views with one another in a frank manner on international trends and developments.

Lastly, the Government emphasizes on the aim is not to create any donor/recipient relationship but to enhance one another.

Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Towards to this end, my delegation wishes to reiterate our close relationship between the Union and the Government of Thailand in order to enhance mutual cooperation in global telecommunications development not only for a region but also for all ITU Members.

Having been a Member State of ITU for 119 years since 1883 and served in the ITU council for Region E (Asia and Australasia) for five consecutive terms member to Plenipotentiary Conference, Thailand has intensified a full support to the work of the Union with a view to promoting the vital roles of the ITU in the development of world telecommunications and strengthening activities to fulfill the purposes of the Union. One of key roles, in which Thailand has greatly contributed to the ITU, is to provide office spaces and facilities, hospitality and cooperation to the ITU Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific. The Office has efficiently worked for all regional Member States from its Bangkok base since 1993.

In addition, the Government of Thailand has contributed to the work of the Union by actively participating in every annual session of the Council during the previous and current terms, fully cooperating in the works of the General-Secretariat and the three Bureaus of the Union as well as collaborating with the ITU in hosting various activities in Thailand to enhance professional skills, information dissemination and exchanges of views among telecommunication personnel in this region.

Mr. Chairman,

In conclusion, I would like to express our appreciation to the ITU for playing a significant role as the most important organization capable of equitably coordinating the world's telecommunication resources and, sometimes, conflict interests, it is our firm belief that this Organization is the global forum where all Member States, developed as well as developing and the least developed ones, can equally voice their views on policy and other regulatory issues for the common good and improvement in quality of life of mankind.

I sincerely hope that many important issues to be discussed in this Conference will bring forward constructive results and contribute towards strengthening the multilateral foundations of the Union to meet the objectives of the Reform. Recognizing that the issues on the agenda before us are comprehensive and of great interest to Member States, I hereby reiterate my Delegation's full and close cooperation with you, and fellow distinguished delegates in our deliberation during the Conference.
Finally, I am confident that the conduct of this Conference under your chairmanship will lead to satisfying and fruitful results to all of us.

Thank you.