Thailand’s new foreign minister addressed the UN General Assembly, sparking debate at home over whether he breached constitutional rules by acting too soon.
Thailand’s newly appointed Foreign Affairs Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow has come under fire for potentially breaching constitutional rules after delivering a speech at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The 80th UNGA session, which ran from September 23 to 29, saw Sihasak address international delegates despite claims that Cabinet ministers cannot formally assume duties until after presenting the government’s policy statement to Parliament.
Drawing on his decades-long diplomatic career, Sihasak spoke about Thailand’s humanitarian role during the Cambodian civil war in the late 1970s.
“Thailand made the humanitarian decision to open up our borders in the late 1970s for hundreds of thousands of Cambodians fleeing the civil war in their country to seek shelter in Thailand. We made this decision out of compassion and humanitarian principles. As a young diplomat, I witnessed that scene myself.”
Sihasak joined the Foreign Ministry in 1979 and has since served in a series of high-profile roles, including ambassador to France and Japan, Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva, and president of the UN Human Rights Council from 2010 to 2011.
Born in 1957, he studied political science at Chulalongkorn University before earning a master’s degree in international public policy at Johns Hopkins University.
During his UN speech, Sihasak referred to his recent talks with Cambodian foreign minister Sokhonn Prak, saying their private discussions did not align with the tone of Cambodia’s official UN address.
“Yesterday we talked about peace, dialogue, mutual trust and confidence, but unfortunately, what was said today by the Cambodian side was opposite.”
He also stressed the suffering caused by the long-standing Thai-Cambodian border conflict, pointing to soldiers maimed by landmines, children whose schools had been attacked, and civilians caught in clashes, reported Bangkok Post.
“Thailand chooses the path of peace because we believe that the people of both countries deserve no less.”
Although in office for only four months, Sihasak now faces mounting challenges, from balancing relations with China and the United States to managing tensions with Cambodia—all while critics at home question the legality of his early diplomatic debut.
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