May I, first and foremost, express, on behalf of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Thai Government, our sincere thanks and utmost appreciation to the Ambassadors of the member nations of the Organization of American States and their representatives and to all the distinguished guests who have gathered here in full force to join us on this auspicious occasion.  I wish to thank, in particular, my good friend, His Excellency the Ambassador of Peru, for all the efforts he personally has put into helping to organize this event.

I am not usually given to hyperbole but I can indeed say with all my conviction that Thailand’s admission as a Permanent Observer to the Organization of American States marks another major milestone in our continued efforts to broaden the horizon of Thai diplomacy.  And it is all the more significant that the further strengthening of Thailand’s links with the countries of the OAS should come at a time when the OAS itself is marking the 50th anniversary of its establishment.  So today we have a double cause for celebration.

I am, of course, aware that some of you maybe wondering why did we decide to become a Permanent Observer to the OAS, given the difference in our geographical location and also given the fact that the main focus of our foreign policy at this time should be on the immediate task of bringing about our early economic recovery.  Definitely, there are many reasons that led to our decision, some of which may already be obvious to all of you and some perhaps not so obvious.

First, in this day and age, distance and boundaries have become irrelevant to the search for new friends and new partners.  For friendship and partnership that reach out beyond the confine of one’s frontiers, one’s region, one’s nationalities, one’s race and creed are the essence of building towards a world of peace and harmony, for which we all aspire.

The second reason is that, in this era of globalization, the distance that perhaps once separated us has become insignificant when we think in terms of the aspirations, the values and the interests that increasingly bind us together.  The pursuit of peace and security, the promotion of sustainable economic development, the advancement of democracy and human dignity, the struggle against all forms of social injustice and fight against the malaise afflicting our societies such as the scourge of drugs and environmental degradation are all objectives and tasks that we have in common and transcend borders.  They are also common challenges that require us to work together among nations and among regions as part of a global community.

Thirdly, faced with the demands and pressures of changing times, there is much that we can learn from and draw strength from one another.  The OAS is the world’s oldest regional organization.  Its success stems from its constant evolution and the ability of many of its members to adapt and adjust to the continuing process of change in the region and in the world at large.

Many nations of the OAS have indeed only recently gone through their own painful process of reform and restructuring and have emerged as stronger and more dynamic societies.  We in Thailand therefore hope to gain from and be inspired by your experiences as we come to grips with the current economic crisis and as we seek to move forward on the path of our recovery and renewal.

The fourth and another important reason that led to our decision to seek Permanent Observer status in the OAS is because we did not believe that the economic crisis should impair the conduct of our diplomacy, especially as it relates to our emerging friends and partners such as the countries of the OAS.

We see the nations that comprise the Organization of American States as countries on the move, politically, economically and socially.   Now as you move towards the creation of the Free Trade Areas of the Americas (FTAA), you are poised to enter a new phase of greater regional economic integration, bringing with it the promise of greater economic prosperity.

We in Thailand, in spite of the current economic difficulties, are also determined to accelerate the process of regional and sub-regional economic integration and cooperation not only within our region of Southeast Asia but beyond, be they AFTA, the GMS, BISMTEC or APEC.

Regional economic integration, as long as it is founded on the concept of open regionalism, should yield benefit for all in terms generating higher economic growth and expanding markets, thereby spurring growth of the global economy as a whole.

In as much as we in Thailand would  wish to be a part of your new-found economic dynamism, we would like also for each of your nations to become a partner in our on-going endeavor for greater progress and prosperity.

For, in the end, what we seek to achieve by way of our economic development are one and the same and it is not simply growth per se. Economic development is not an end in itself.  It is the means by which we can raise the quality of life of our peoples and give them full and equal access to opportunities for a better and more meaningful life of human dignity and total human development, to which all of us are entitled – a fundamental right which no government can deny its people.

And if I am correct, that is the principal objective for which the OAS was founded, as eloquently stated in the first preambular paragraph of its Charter, and I quote "the historic mission of America is to offer man a land of liberty and a favorable environment for the development of his personality and the realizations of his just aspirations."

And so in conclusion, above and beyond the specific reasons I have given, it is precisely because of that common vision of human development, on which our real peace and prosperity ultimately depend, that Thailand is indeed proud to be given this opportunity to associate herself with the OAS and all its member nations and with their ideals and aspirations.

Thank you.